Angels at the Left Hand of God
by ThebigW
Summary: [Complete.] It looked like they were home free, but the girls have one more challenge to get through before the end. Can we finally have some WAFF? And maybe a happy ending after all the angst? You betcha.
1. Default Chapter

Angels at the Left Hand...  
  
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The Dirty Pair and Dirty Pair Flash are owned by Takachiho Haruka and Studio Nue and Nihon Sunrise Productions. I get nothing but the pleasure of storytelling and the hope that someone likes it. Oh, and a big thank you to Janessa R., who requested this story be restored after I pulled it from ffn.  
  
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Chapter 1.  
  
Consciousness tickled at the edges of Yuri's being. The cozy warm place where she had been was slowly being replaced by the chill of minimal life support. Yuri became conscious of her breathing - she slowly shifted position. Where was she? Then the pain hit. Her left arm wouldn't move like it was supposed to. She tried to lift it - the flash of sensation in her brain almost knocked her out again. It had to be broken. She weakly lifted her right hand to her head. Dried blood caked on the side of her face. She became more aware now. More awareness. She remembered... she... was in one of the Lovely Angel's escape units. What? What was that flashing indicator saying?  
  
MALFUNCTION IN CRYOSTASIS - PROTOCOL 254B83 CRITICAL LIFE SUPPORT REMAINING - 33HRS 15MIN  
  
She gasped. She was awake! But how? She scanned through the pod's view- port. Black space. The memories came rushing back. She recalled fleeing Savaruis battle cruisers where she was hopelessly outgunned. She had made it to the mouth of Wormhole G-63n252 when the Lovely Angel's left engine pod was hit and destroyed by enemy fire. Losing pitch, yaw and roll control too quickly for her to recover, the Lovely Angel entered the wormhole at the wrong azimuth. With no established lock point, the warp algorithm failed, and the ship exited the wormhole not through the other end, but burst through the side, 2.6 parsecs away from the intended exit point.  
  
The Lovely Angel's neural network had just recently been updated by Toma. As close to human consciousness as had ever been achieved, it still "lived" by the 3 Laws of Robotics. Sensing impending disaster, it sacrificed the last of its power to sustain the lives of its occupants. The force field allowed Yuri just enough time to grab Mughi, get to the pod and escape seconds before the Lovely Angel imploded. Her final thought before losing consciousness was that the cryostasis system would keep her and Mughi alive for up to 3 weeks until the pod could be retrieved. But somehow the system malfunctioned, perhaps as a result of the damage sustained in battle. In their waking state, they would use up the life support resources at a much more rapid rate.  
  
MUGHI! Where was he!?  
  
"Mughi? - Mughi?"  
  
"Meooow".  
  
Yuri felt the small furry body crawl as far up her torso as space in the pod would allow. She sighed. He was awake also.  
  
"There you are - are you o.k.?"  
  
Yuri used her good hand to prod and poke Mughi, feeling for any injuries. Not eliciting any hisses or scratches, she petted him and pulled him to shoulder level so he could also see out the view-port. It was a tight enough fit as the pods, barely larger than coffins, were designed for one person, not a person and a pet. None of the Team 9 retrieval ships were anywhere in sight, as they were waiting for her at the other end of the subspace portal.  
  
&&&&&&  
  
Basile was getting worried. He and half of the Team 9 squadron were waiting to take Yuri's pursuers into 3WA custody as soon as they came into range but she was 20 minutes later than she should have been, given her position at the time of her last contact. "Nnnngggg" - he grumbled. "that little - she always makes things difficult! This was already an intricate operation, and timing was critical.  
  
"Chief Basile!" came the crackle over the comm unit. "An unmanned outpost station in sector 3t45n has relayed to the 3WA central computer a signal it picked up and decoded an hour ago - it's a distress beacon from one of the Lovely Angel's escape pods sir!"  
  
"What?!"  
  
Something had gone wrong, and now Yuri was stranded. They had to get moving. Yuri had 3 weeks of life support, but that damned cat-thing pet of hers would reduce that by 3 or 4 days.  
  
"Alright! Call for backup at this location - just in case any of our 'friends' show up unannounced."  
  
Basile was now really concerned. He would be the one to update Chief Gustav on the mission's current status. This was not something he looked forward to. Since the destruction of Siren two years ago, Gustav, albeit grudgingly, had a change of heart regarding those two Trocons. He saw them as the fearless warriors they were; ready to put themselves on the front line at a moment's notice. Basile winced at the buzz going on around headquarters that Gustav's growing admiration of Yuri and Kei now meant that you had to watch what you said about them in his presence. He recalled the new inside joke. There were now nine words you couldn't say - and two of them were "dirty" and "pair". Gustav had grown quite protective.  
  
&&&&&&  
  
Kei was in a daze. She hadn't eaten in 20 hours - that's how long it had taken the doctors to retrieve a sample of Keitaro's bone marrow and subject it to the tests needed for the donor screening process. She hadn't slept for even longer than that. She sat next to his bed in the ICU, exhausted from pacing and fidgeting for so long - and crying.  
  
"What a goddam cosmic joke!" she moaned. "The poor kid has his parents taken away from him, then his life is threatened by contract killers, and now this!"  
  
Though technically a ward of the state until he reached 18, Kei was able to get the 3WA brass to pull strings to allow her custody on a part-time basis. She couldn't believe how much stability and meaning he added to her life in so short a time.  
  
He, and Yuri. Yuri had been there for her through the whole process and was nearly as ecstatic as Kei was when the decision came through in her favor. Yuri coordinated the baby shower and had worked very hard to help Kei find a suitable apartment with the facilities for raising a baby.  
  
How did that happen? Kei marveled. They couldn't stand one other when they first met, and now Yuri had become the sister she never had.  
  
He had cried for what seemed like hours after the surgery. He was sleeping soundly now. Kei stroked his little face and kissed him softly on his forehead.  
  
"Don't worry, Keitaro, auntie Kei is right here".  
  
She sat back and sighed. The breakfast and lunch the staff brought her earlier were piled up on one of the tables, having long grown cold. It was growing dark outside and she could begin to see the crescent moon fragment. A nurse came into the room as quietly as she could.  
  
"Miss, would you please take a few moments for yourself now?" she asked empathetically. "Our facilities are down the hall second door on the left. I promise I will not leave his side until you return".  
  
Kei considered. She COULD use a shower and her stomach had been talking to her for some time now. She relented. She took the towel from the nurse and bowed her thanks. The staff understood the situation and had treated her with great kindness. Kindness. Kei still had difficulty acknowledging the best in people. She was trying her best to change, because she now had family.  
  
Walking down the hall, she thought about Yuri and recalled their last conversation.  
  
"Yuri, I - I feel like crap that I can't be your backup. But Keitaro is..."  
  
"Don't worry, Kei. Everything will be fine. Remember, I found you on Gaisumao by myself and I also found you when Flight 701 crashed with you and ..."  
  
Yuri winced at her mistake as soon as she saw Kei's reaction. Kei looked down at her feet and her shoulders were trembling. The old Kei would die before she would ever let anyone see her cry. But she could lose Keitaro now after all they had been through. This was the hardest thing she had ever gone through in her life. Not growing up on that backwater planet without parents, not playing bodyguard to a mobster, not chasing down Flair. This. How had she become so attached to him? Her eyes were red and dry from the tears she had already shed. And now, Kei was forced to make a choice between the two people most dear to her in her entire life.  
  
"I know you need to be here. So don't let anything happen to 'Little K' and I'll be back as soon as I can."  
  
Yuri reached for Kei and held her in her arms, stroking her hair as Kei's sobs began anew.  
  
"I'm sorry, Yuri. I'm your partner. My oath... My duty... I'm so sorry". Yuri took a deep breath to fight back her own tears.  
  
&&&&&&  
  
Monsuud, prince of Savaruis-3 was seething. 17 of his fleet had been destroyed by that...that BITCH! And they allowed her to escape, albeit spinning out of control into that wormhole. In all likelihood, she was dead. But his pride wanted to be certain. NO ONE makes a fool of him the way she did and lived. Hitting the review button, he watched again and again the replay of her battle against his forces. He rubbed his chin as he grudgingly allowed admiration of her dog-fighting prowess to percolate. One 3WA ship against my armada of 50 and they couldn't take her. His ministers would have to spin this just right. The last coup attempt had cost him dearly.  
  
"Prince Monsuud! Your Highness. We have located a distress beacon not far from the last known signature emanating from that ship."  
  
Monsuud was shaken from his contemplation. He couldn't believe his luck. She was still alive! He knew it. He would have his revenge. He momentarily zoned out as he imagined his hands around that beautiful throat - her eyes trembling in fear as he slowly snuffed the life out of her. But not before he had his way with her. Yes. He would break her down in every way. She would call him master before her death. He snapped out of his reverie. He would have to move fast. Now that he knew she was a Trouble Consultant, he also knew the 3WA would be coming for her. He stood and barked his commands.  
  
"Deliver that pod to me, but be reminded that its contents are extremely valuable. To the one who harms a hair on her head I shall personally slay his entire family". The lieutenants bowed and rushed off with their orders.  
  
&&&&&&  
  
Trying to move her injured arm as little as possible but wincing anyway, Yuri reached across her body and opened the medic-kit. There were yellow and red pain killers, bandages, compresses, antiseptic napkins, and, in its own separate tamper-proof section, one black cyanide capsule. Yuri took two of the red pain pills, and in minutes, her arm calmed down to a dull throb. It would have to be set soon or... She threw that thought out of her mind. She then took a napkin and wiped as much blood from her face as she could.  
  
'I'm glad I don't have a mirror', she thought.  
  
'I can just imagine how awful I look right now.' She closed the kit, but not before glancing once more at the black capsule. A shudder ran down her spine at its implication.  
  
She checked the countdown timer again - 33 hours 7 minutes 25 seconds. Above that indicator was the beacon status marker. At least IT was still working. She closed her eyes and hugged Mughi tighter as she fought the claustrophobia and begged for sleep.  
  
&&&&&&  
  
District Captain Poporo slammed his fist on his desk, his worst fears realized. He had allowed a 3WA agent to work solo undercover, and that agent was in danger now with the nearest backup 3 days away from her. As Gustav had said, he wasn't worried so much about her condition - the beacon was working so he had to assume the best case scenario.  
  
"No." He mused. "Although we technically have almost three weeks, Savaruis would be just as eager to get its hands on her as well."  
  
The 3WA retrieval squadron was already on its way.  
  
"Chief Gustav, I..."  
  
The two men were startled when the door burst open and Class 1A Technical Specialist Toma rushed in. Bowing his apologies at the glaring faces, he intercepted Poporo's rage before it could manifest.  
  
"So sorry chief! But I've just decoded the last transmission from the neural net upgrade I deployed to the Lovely Angel last week. Its log shows the energy it redirected from the core to erect the force field and... and..."  
  
"And WHAT!" the two seated men shouted in unison.  
  
"There wasn't enough power left to calibrate the cryostasis subsystem properly before she ejected..."  
  
Gustav almost crushed the wooden chair railings under his powerful hands.  
  
"What are you saying, Toma?".  
  
Toma took a step back and swallowed, measuring his words.  
  
"Yuri is out there and she's fully conscious. By my calculations, she will only have about 30 hours of life support before all systems fail!" The two older men looked at each other.  
  
It would be a race.  
  
&&&&&&  
  
The doctor's words seemed to echo and fade away from Kei, as if she were falling into a time tunnel. Keitaro needed a donor match desperately, but with no known living relatives, that was going to be a challenge. Kei slumped back in the chair. Sleep kept advancing and she kept beating it back.  
  
'Please hurry back, Yuri. I'm so confused right now that I can't even think straight.'  
  
There was a soft knock on the door.  
  
"Come in".  
  
The door eased open as Gustav peered inside. The look on his ashen face caused Kei's exhausted heart to drop through the floor.  
  
"Yuri! Something's happened to Yuri!"  
  
&&&&&&


	2. 2

The Dirty Pair and Dirty Pair Flash are owned by Takachiho Haruka and Studio Nue and Nihon Sunrise Productions. I own only the new characters added for purposes of this story.  
  
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12:16:55  
  
Yuri opened her eyes and tried to stretch as much as she could to prevent her legs from cramping. Zero gravity didn't appeal to her at all. It threw her orientation off. She wouldn't care if she were still in cryo.  
  
A little more than twelve hours left. They'll be here soon. She was sorry she hadn't paid more attention during the special training classes on the new pods, or the survival training sessions, but she was having boyfriend trouble at the time and, well, she was distracted.  
  
The pain was starting to return. She wanted more pain killers but she needed something to eat so her stomach wouldn't be too upset. The ration case was to her far left and too difficult for her to reach across her body to open it. Mughi saw what she was trying to do and used his nose and teeth to open the case and retrieve one of the ration-paks. Yuri bit it open and squeezed out some of the gunky stuff for Mughi, then took some for herself.  
  
"Yecch, I guess this is why you stay asleep until they come for you."  
  
She was hungry, however, so she ate it. She took two more of the red capsules. Looking out the view port, she tried to figure out from the star patterns just where she was. She thought she recognized M-13 but she couldn't be sure due to her lack of orientation. Not that knowing would do any good. She remembered what she could of the S-T classes and started to slow her breathing and meditate. Mughi's warmth didn't hurt. Her thoughts turned to Kei and 'Little K' and she smiled.  
  
11:22:42  
  
&&&&&&  
  
Ja-len was anxious as he left the briefing room. He was now a Y-fighter jock aboard the Dirty Job V. This was a Yammamoto class star cruiser/carrier that transported 30 fighters and crew. Chief Basile was the commander of the retrieval team. They could track the distress beacon through a brilliantly designed algorithm that automatically adjusted triangulation at the rate of billions of cycles per second, even through warped space.  
  
They couldn't warp due to the planetary mass of the solar system they were in, until they reached the edge of the system. They were moving at maximum impulse.  
  
Countdown to warp - 6:17:20.  
  
Ja-len's thoughts drifted to his older brother, Ra-uul. He was killed aboard the Dirty Job III when it was destroyed by Iwashimizu's suicide attack that had allowed Waldess to escape to Siren. Ja-len was a 3WA trainee at the time, following in his brother's footsteps. He didn't have any pull from friends or family, but he had ambition. Working as hard as he could, he finished fourth in his class and attained the rank of 2nd Ace. His brother would have been proud.  
  
'Hold on, Yuri. We'll be there soon.'  
  
He rubbed his hands together. He had used whatever influence he had to be a part of this mission. Originally assigned the Yellow Team lead, he smiled to himself as he thought about the bribe he paid his comrade (1 week's salary!) so he could be the Green (first wave) recovery squad leader.  
  
His thoughts drifted back to Yuri. Yuri. He had loved Yuri since the first time he laid eyes on her. He stifled a groan at how cliché that sounded. He thought wistfully back to that time. He was part of the security crew that survived the assassination attack on Yuri as she performed the neural intrusion on Professor Kapps. Assigned "clean up" after that operation, he was greeted by Yuri as she passed him in the hall on her way back to HQ. She smiled at him as she thanked him for protecting her. His breathing - his heartbeat - everything stopped for that fraction of a second that she looked him in the eye.  
  
A fraction of a second...  
  
It was true what they had said. She was stunning. He vaguely remembered bowing to her and stammering that it was nothing. As she passed, he glanced at her retreating form, the swish of her hair across her calves and the lingering scent of her perfume taking him deeper into his hypnotic state. It took one of his colleagues slapping him on the back to snap him out of it.  
  
In all the time since then, he never got up the courage to admit his feelings to her - he had never even approached her. He knew the type of guy Yuri liked. Rich and handsome, and Ja-len was neither. She knew nothing of his feelings for her, but he knew almost everything about her via information he obtained from various sources. Although it was true she was absent or late to work a lot, she was a First Class Ace pilot. That he knew from his classroom reviews of her missions. He made it a point to get to know Toma and had gotten what information he could from him. Toma immediately figured out his intentions, but helped him as much as he could anyway. He had been looking for an appropriate opening to introduce himself to Kei when she was called away for personal reasons. Then there were his own observations made whenever he was near her - and he did everything he could to be near her as often as possible. It was during those stolen moments that something he couldn't describe happened to him.  
  
Since that first meeting in the hall, he had become her secret admirer, leaving little anonymous presents at her desk when she was not there, staying in the background to watch her reaction when she found his presents. Nothing major - her favorite potato chips, assorted candies, some flowers now and then, and ... his poetry. He knew he wasn't very good. In fact, in hindsight, he winced at how corny some of his work turned out. But it never failed to put a smile on her face when she read it and that made him happy.  
  
His latest was a piece that was almost finished.  
  
Yuri, my angel  
  
when I awaken from my slumber, in that moment of reverie  
  
you are there  
  
at night, when I slip away into my dreams  
  
you are there  
  
and all the seconds of my life in between  
  
you are there  
  
your eyes, your hair, your smile  
  
these all enchant and entrap me  
  
should you ever honor me with your love  
  
you would bind me even tighter  
  
and I shall die of rapture  
  
however, should you release me from these bonds  
  
I would be but the orchid that dies  
  
when the sun turns away its face  
  
and so you see, my love  
  
the end of my life is in your hands  
  
will yours be the last face I see  
  
as I leave this world?  
  
will yours be the first face I see  
  
as I ascend to heaven  
  
my Angel?  
  
Keeping a low profile, he had kept an eye on her through her various love affairs; from the meaningless flings to her deep infatuation with Julian. Julian. He ground his teeth at the thought of that idiot. Yes, Wendy was attractive, but Yuri was an angel. Couldn't he see that? Although Julian's loss was hopefully Ja-len's gain, Yuri's heart had been broken. It took a long time to heal if it ever did completely heal.  
  
He shook his head. There were more pressing matters. He had to make certain she was safe. He closed his eyes as he thought about the risk he might be placing the other members of the team in, given his level of emotional involvement. He prayed his judgment wouldn't be clouded.  
  
"I'm coming for you, my angel."  
  
&&&&&&  
  
Dr. Efren Sevahnn was hopeful as the he approached room 204. The head of the transplant division, Dr. VerHoven, had come back from her consultation with Kei on the boy's condition, and authorized him to discuss his prototype with her. Sevahnn had only been affiliated with this hospital's research division for 3 months. He was a partner in a startup company that produced biotech applications in addition to being a transplant specialist.  
  
202, 203, 204. Here it was. This was where the beautiful trouble consultant kept a vigil over her adopted son. He knocked, waited a moment, and then opened the door. Chief Gustav was standing in the middle of the room with his back to the door. Kei was directly behind Gustav next to Keitaro's bed so he couldn't see her at first. Gustav stopped talking to her and turned to face Sevahnn.  
  
And there she was.  
  
Sevahnn had been monitoring the boy's room for a few days from the security cameras and had seen Kei onscreen, but nothing prepared him for meeting her in person. Kei was breathtaking. Her shag of thick red hair with the blonde streak made her look almost dangerous. As she looked up at the doctor, her piercing green eyes relayed her anguish at the situation she currently faced. Although her energy was diminished due to the boy's crisis, he could still sense her power and spirit and was spellbound. Kei straightened up to her full height and approached him. She moved with an athlete's grace, her muscles rippling under her skin. He stumbled slightly in awe of her and took half a step back as Kei moved to within two feet of him. Sevahnn blinked as Kei stared right into his eyes.  
  
"What is it, doctor?"  
  
"I... I have been informed that you need to leave Keitaro due to another emergency you must attend to." He tried to sound as professional as possible.  
  
"Yes, and?"  
  
"Just a moment" Gustav said as he moved toward the door. "I'll wait outside as this should be a private conversation. But Kei, we need to leave soon." Sevahnn waited until the door closed before continuing.  
  
"I have a prototype device that you can take with you that will give you the boy's vital signs." He pulled out a device the size of a small compact. When opened, it exposed control buttons and a readout of heart, lung and brainwave activity. It was attached to a necklace.  
  
"This is not yet available to the general public, but Toma and I are old friends from our college days and he has created an interface through the 3WA central computer so that the signal can reach you wherever the 3WA has a relay station in the known universe."  
  
Kei thought about this as she looked at the doctor's outstretched hand.  
  
"And you're giving this to me? Why?"  
  
Kei knitted her brows. No one ever gave anyone anything. No! That wasn't true! That's the old Kei talking. The one who didn't trust anyone as far as she could throw them (and she had certainly thrown a lot of people in her time). She looked over at Keitaro. She had met some wonderful people lately. Yuri had changed. She could change. 'I have to start giving people the benefit of the doubt.'  
  
"As I said -" Sevahnn continued. "Toma knew I was working on this and asked if I could lend you the prototype. As soon as I learned the reason, I was glad to do it. I, among billions of others in the galaxy, am safer because of the work of 3WA trouble consultants like you."  
  
Sevahnn secretly breathed a sigh of relief that he came up with that story so quickly. How could he tell her the truth - that he had a crush on her and could barely contain himself in her presence? He was acting like some lovesick schoolboy. Kei took the locket from his hand and examined it. After a moment, she looked back at him and nodded her consent. He stepped closer to her, took the device and showed her how to operate it. As she intently listened to his instructions, he slyly snuck a sideways glance at her. He couldn't help himself. He was close enough that he could smell her. Her aura was making him woozy. He bit his lip as he came back to his senses. This was neither the time nor the place. He took a deep breath and resumed his instruction. With the audio and kinesthetic options turned on, she could hear as well as feel Keitaro's heartbeat.  
  
"Doctor, you don't know how much this means to me." Kei said to Sevahnn. She clasped his hands into hers and failed to hold back the tear that travelled down her cheek.  
  
"How can I ever repay you?"  
  
Sevahnn fought dizziness brought on by the combination of her touch and the pools of emerald he was staring into. For the smallest fraction of a second, he had visions of he and Kei working out his "repayment", but quickly shook that out of his head.  
  
"Please don't worry. If you will allow me to give you periodic direct updates I will be glad to do it. Also, you can return the device back to me personally."  
  
Under normal circumstances, Kei's instincts would immediately alert her suspicions. Due to her current emotional state, however, she was very vulnerable. Sevahnn mentally kicked himself for having to be so underhanded in hoping to satisfy his ulterior motive. He was not a bad person. He was just a man. A man who was stricken temporarily insane. And the source of his madness was just inches away from him. Sevahnn reluctantly released Kei's hands and bowed to her before leaving. Gustav eyed him warily as he stumbled down the hall.  
  
After the doctor left, Kei went to the night table and took a pair of scissors. She then leaned over and clipped a lock of Keitaro's hair. He woke up at her touch.  
  
"Kei-kei."  
  
He babbled his name for her and tried to sit himself up in the bed. She tied the clipping of his hair together with a piece of string and put it in the locket and closed it. Kei then placed the locket inside her uniform next to her heart. She leaned over him.  
  
"O.K. now little booger, I'm off to save Auntie Yuri. You know how she gets into trouble all the time without me around to look after her."  
  
She massaged his little hands, and then let him grip her index fingers. He was clearly weaker after the surgery, but everyone assured her that he was not in a life-threatening situation right now. She carefully lifted him so as not to entangle the wires feeding his monitors. The attendant nurse uttered a small gasp, but held back, letting Kei have her moment. Kei hugged Keitaro to her heart as he cooed happily.  
  
Gustav had come back inside and cleared his throat.  
  
"We have to leave now, Kei. You know I trust Basile on the recovery, but just in case..."  
  
Kei put Keitaro back in his bed with one last kiss to his cheek. She mussed his hair and poked him in the belly. She nodded to the nurse as she turned to leave.  
  
Keitaro, watching Kei's back as she walked away, grabbed the bed rail and tried to pull himself up.  
  
"Kei-kei?"  
  
He looked around at the strange room and the strange people and turned back to Kei. Surely she wasn't going to leave him here. She just hadn't heard him.  
  
"Kei-kei?"  
  
Gustav turned the doorknob and opened the door.  
  
"Kei-kei!?"  
  
Kei's heart trembled. It was suddenly very hard to breathe. She was about to turn around but Gustav grabbed her shoulders.  
  
"No Kei. It will only make it more difficult."  
  
Keitaro's toddler mind could not process what was happening. He was hurting. He was calling out to her but she was not coming. He had to follow her. He grabbed the bed railing and tried to climb out after her. The nurses rushed to him.  
  
"KEI-KEI!!! KEI-KEEEEIIIIIIII!!!!!" KEI-KEEEEEIIIIIIIIIII!!!!!"  
  
Kei didn't know what was worse. Hearing his pleas, or feeling his little heart beat even faster through the monitor. Thank god Gustav was here or she would have had a mental melt-down. They moved quickly out of the building and into the waiting van.  
  
&&&&&&  
  
02:14:17  
  
Yuri hummed her favorite tunes softly to herself as she shifted again in confinement. With only a bit over two hours left, the unthinkable began to creep into her mind. What if they don't come for us in time? She reflexively clutched Mughi, a bit tighter than he liked. He hissed his displeasure. The creeping thought leapt and seized her mind. She started to panic and began to hyperventilate. She slowly regained control, but the thoughts wouldn't leave her.  
  
'Time is running out.'  
  
She hadn't thought much of dying; why she was still young and had her whole life ahead of her. She had survived many dangerous missions, partly due to her and Kei's extraordinary luck. She understood the dangers of her job, but she always thought that if she died, it would be in a dogfight or in hand-to-hand combat and she wouldn't have to think too much about it. It would just happen.  
  
'Time is running out.'  
  
This was different. It was as if the timer countdown was closing the window of her life slowly and agonizingly, and she was helpless to do anything about it. After over thirty hours of semi-wakefulness, delirium was beginning to set in. She imagined Death dancing around outside the pod, waiting, peeking in and mocking her when it thought she wasn't looking.  
  
'Time is running out.'  
  
01:09:54  
  
&&&&&&  
  
Nialunh watched impassively as her husband paced back and forth. Monsuud paid her no attention. Although she was first queen, she was rarely allowed into the military strategy room. There was so much activity right now that she was able to blend into the background in spite of her royal countenance and the rich fabric and cut of her dress. She glanced at his generals and other attendants and tried to piece together what was happening that had caused such a buzz. Were they at war?  
  
She was his first wife, the oldest of his three wives and numerous concubines. She had borne him two sons and now, at age 30, she was of little interest to him any longer. Although she accepted her fate of no longer sharing his bed at night, she was still the First Wife, and as such retained a certain status. This she used to her advantage over the other wives and courtesans who, although younger and arguably more beautiful, would not be allowed to upstage her.  
  
She watched him now, his back to her. She hated him. No. She loved him. She hated what he had become. She had been his first, and he, hers. She often recalled those days wistfully. Those memories were all that kept her going now. They had been in love back then; eyes only for each other. Since he ascended the throne, however, he had changed. Small changes at first, in his personality and mannerisms. After the first failed assassination attempt, however, fears that he had kept deeply hidden, even from her, began to manifest. Because they were assassins, by Savarian law, the intended target must be their executioner. It was the first time Monsuud killed another by his own hand, and something died in him that day.  
  
Something died and something was born. Bloodlust. And something else she could not fathom. The man she tried to comfort that night in the bed chamber was not her husband, he was someone else. When he took her, it was not in the loving way he had in the past. It was... she shuddered at the memory. It was savage.  
  
She was shaken from her thoughts at the announcement by one of the generals that they were within two hours of getting "it" back. It dawned on her. This had something to do with that woman, Yuri. Her court sources explained that this Yuri had gained access to the court only with the aid of secret resistance forces and had quickly charmed Monsuud with her beauty. She had arrived only a week or so ago, yet her husband granted Yuri stay in the duchess suite, an honor reserved for royalty. He was smitten, but she coyly resisted his advances. She used the access he granted her to find and remove an important document. Then she fled. Nialunh didn't know what the document was, but its loss had to be critical to precipitate this response.  
  
&&&&&&  
  
00:07:22  
  
'Time is running out.'  
  
Seven minutes left. When the life support failed, she would suffocate before she froze to death. No. She wouldn't wait for that to happen. It would have to be the cyanide. Yuri's thoughts then turned to Mughi. She would have to euthanize him before she took her own life. She thought about how she should go about it. Her only available weapon was her light saber. That would have to do. She would place the saber at the base of his jaw and fire it up, killing him instantly. It would be quick and painless. She would then swallow the cyanide. She began to lose her nerve as the panic set in again. The exercises weren't working anymore. Mughi sensed her fear and nuzzled against her neck, licking her face. This calmed her down a bit.  
  
"I'm sorry, Mughi. It doesn't look good for us."  
  
She reached into the medic-kit and opened the pouch containing the black capsule.  
  
She placed it between her teeth.  
  
She removed the saber from its holder.  
  
She nuzzled Mughi's face one last time and kissed his nose as she moved her saber under his jaw.  
  
She said a final prayer.  
  
'God, I know I wasn't perfect, but I tried to be the best person I could be.'  
  
She took a deep breath.  
  
'Goodbye, everyone'  
  
She gave one last thought to those she loved.  
  
Then she felt the shock wave.  
  
&&&&&&


	3. 3

&&&&&&

The Savarian recovery team came out of warp about 200 meters from Yuri's pod. The ripple effect of warp exit oscillation rocked the pod almost violently. Yuri dropped her saber; it flickered out. She expelled the capsule from her mouth as a result of the spinning, rocking motion. Within 30 seconds, a hatch on the ship's starboard opened and a salvage bot emerged, heading to her position.

They had sent their fastest battle cruiser, the Yamunesse for this mission. The commander stood from his seat and looked around the pod for any sign of the 3WA. There was none.

"Scan for any sign of other craft in the area." He ordered.

"Sir, we are the only ones here."

"We have beaten them. Hurry men - we haven't much time. Hurry."

Yuri looked at Mughi.

"They've found us!"

Yuri knew that the wave meant a large ship had just come out of warp. She gave a big sigh of relief and let Mughi go so she could prep for her rescue.

Two minutes passed.

Something wasn't right. They should have hailed her by now. They weren't following standard recovery procedure, at least as far as she could remember it. She peered out the view port as far to the left and right as she could, but couldn't see the team as the cruiser was behind her.

"Trouble Consultant Yuri to 3WA rescue - Trouble Consultant Yuri to 3WA rescue".

She tried to hail the team but got no answer. What was wrong? Unless... Unless THEY had caught up with her!

&&&&&&

Warp Exit Timer - 00:00:47

Ja-len felt his heart pounding through his ribcage. Tucked into his cockpit, checklist completed, Green Team was ready to deploy as the first wave when they came out of warp in 45 seconds. He hoped against hope that she was alright.

'Please God, let her be o.k.'

The Dirty Job V exited warp 300 meters from the escape pod's last known location. Basile was on the bridge as the monitor resumed standard tri- dimensional resolution. He gasped. The Savarians were already there. Their retrieval bot was 60 meters from the pod, its mechanical arms extended.

"Fighters deploy!" He barked.

The restraint gates were blown and Ja-len and his companions were released. In less than 30 seconds, the squadron had taken up defensive positions around the pod. Ja-len was the first to reach it and seeing the potential danger reacted instinctively.

"Get away from her!"

He ripped apart the Savarian retrieval unit in about three seconds, with 100 rounds from his 200mm Vulcan Cannon, its pieces dispersing slowly through silent space. The remainder of his squadron flanked him while they waited for their own retrieval operator, who, by procedure, would not leave the carrier until the area was secured. Ja-len positioned his fighter so that he could see into the view port.

Looking slightly the worse for wear, she was alive. He saw as she reached up and opened the comm-link.

"Trouble consultant Yuri awaiting recovery" she said a bit weakly but with a smile.

"Yuri, this is Lieutenant Ja-len of the First Recovery Green Team. Are you alright?"

"I could use some life-support boost. And I think my arm is broken."

Ja-len's heart was beating so rapidly it nearly burst through his chest. He positioned his fighter behind the pod and extended the emergency boom to the pod's female receptor. Yuri took a deep breath as power and fresh air were delivered. By this time all three teams had deployed and taken up defensive formations around the pod. Ja-len reoriented to the front of the pod. Yuri gave him the 'V' sign.

Basile hailed the Savarian commander from the bridge. The screen flickered, and a face appeared. He looked to be in his mid-fifties, with a closely cropped white beard and white hair.

"I am Chief Basile of the 3WA here to reclaim our property. Stand down or we shall be forced to engage you!"

Realizing immediately that he was outgunned by the size of the 3WA retrieval force, the bearded man considered his options. The appearance of a carrier class starship also confirmed his suspicions about the pod's contents. He swallowed slowly and considered his words carefully, then replied.

"Chief Basile, I am Commander Hikaro of the Yamunesse, 2nd Savarian defense fleet. We have clear evidence that the pod contains documents belonging to and stolen from the Savarian people. Although the pod itself is the property of the 3WA, we invoke section 27.313 of the Universal Free Space Agreement that gives us the right to retrieve what belongs to us. Might I remind you, your reckless destruction of our retrieval unit is an act of aggression that will be reported. We will retrieve the pod, remove what is ours, and return what is yours to the 3WA."

Hikaro didn't wait for Basile's response. He turned and issued the command to send a second retrieval unit after the pod. He then turned back to face Basile. This was a high stakes poker match, and he could not afford to lose. The families of Hikaro and all his crew had been taken from their homes and placed in holding cells at the command of Monsuud. They could not return having failed the mission or they would witness their families' execution before their own. Hikaro thought briefly of his wife and children, and his two granddaughters, aged 12 and 7. Trained as a soldier from boyhood, he would have gladly fought to the death with honor. In this circumstance, he was backed into a corner and had no choice.

The retrieval unit was now 100 meters away and closing.

"Lieutenant, what are they doing?" Ja-len's left wing, Sirhaan asked.

"I don't know, but this one will get the same treatment as the last one if it gets any closer."

What the hell was going on? Where was the 3WA retrieval unit?

"Green Team leader to base. We have established defensive position. Please update disposition of retrieval unit. Over."

&&&&&&

Kei sat back in her seat. They had found Yuri and she was alive. Keitaro's heart was beating normally now, she could feel it. Dr. Sevahnn had given her a visual report on his condition as he had promised. Gustav had gone up to the cockpit to discuss something with the pilots. Kei put the seat into recline mode and immediately passed into a deep sleep as her exhaustion reached up to claim her.

&&&&&&

Monsuud waited as patiently as he could for the next report. She was within his grasp. They would not fail to deliver her. They would not.

&&&&&&

Basile ignored his lieutenant's request as he tried to figure out his adversary's move. Not blinking, he spoke evenly to Hikaro.

"With all due respect, Commander, this is your last chance before our forces go into attack mode. You have your orders, and, as you must understand, I have mine. I am sorry. You have forced my hand."

"No Chief Basile, it is you who have forced my hand."

Hikaro knew what he was up against, and it was useless. They were at a stalemate and time was running out for him. He revealed his trump card.

"Initiate Provision 99!" He barked at an unseen subordinate. He turned back to Basile. If this didn't work, he would never see his family alive again.

The Yamunesse oriented itself toward the pod. Its single pulse cannon began to power up.

"Chief Basile, our retrieval unit is almost at its target. If you interfere again, we will destroy the target rather than allow our property to fall into your hands. I am well aware that we stand no chance against your squadrons after that. But we are, what is your terminology? Between a rock and a hard place." He gave a slight smile at that comment.

"You have no choice. I have no choice. Either one of us succeeds or both of us fail. Instruct your forces to stand down now and allow us to complete our mission."

Basile realized at that moment what he was up against. He weighed his options. Hikaro was right. The 3WA could destroy the Yamunesse, but attacking them now was a certain death sentence for Yuri. He had to give her a fighting chance, and that meant allowing them to take her into their custody. He grimaced at the decision that was made for him.

&&&&&&

Ja-len saw the pulse cannon power up and knew immediately what it meant. He knew full well that a direct hit would kill both he and Yuri instantly, but oriented his fighter in front of the pod anyway. The retrieval unit was 20 meters away and slowing down, its arms extending.

"Green Team Leader to base. Adversary is preparing for aggressive action. Please advise. Over."

"Base to all recovery teams - stand down and retreat from your position. Over."

What?! Ja-len was certain he hadn't heard correctly.

"Green Team Leader to Base. Repeat instructions. Over."

"Base to all recovery teams - stand down and return to base. That is a direct order. Over."

Ja-len watched as the Yellow and Blue teams yielded their positions and backed away. The other Green members followed suit. The retrieval unit extended its arms and grappled the pod. Ja-len's finger trembled on the trigger of his gun.

"Hey! What's happening?" Yuri called out as she was jostled.

"Base to Green Team Leader - you have failed to acknowledge a direct order. Over."

Ja-len's mind was spinning. Yuri was here, within his grasp, and now he was going to lose her to them.

"But Chief Basile..."

"Lieutenant Ja-len, if you do not remove yourself right now, you face immediate court-martial!"

He weighed his options. He soon realized he had none. He couldn't get her from the pod to his fighter; she would freeze to death instantly. The Yamunesse would surely fire upon them before even that could happen. He pounded his helmet against the cockpit partition in frustration.

"Yuri - be brave."

He began to back his unit away, unable to stand the questioning look on her face.

Yuri yelled as she pounded the view port with her good hand.

"What are you doing!? Why are you letting them do this!?"

The retrieval unit retreated, with Yuri in tow, until it reentered the hatch of the Yamunesse. Hikaro and Basile watched on their respective monitors until the hatch closed. Hikaro remained silent for a few seconds. He then decided to take another gamble.

"Chief Basile, from your squadron's formation, you follow deployment model 17 of the great Admiral SorenVerispano of the Zengian empire, do you not?"

"Yes, but what does that have to do with anything?"

"Considered the greatest space strategist in known history, I too, have studied her methods at our academy. In chapter seven of her military opus, I believe, she outlines a strategy for optimal deployment when ones forces are outnumbered by 5 to 1. In another time - another place, I believe we would have made formidable adversaries. Goodbye Chief Basile."

Hikaro nodded slightly to Basile. The screen then went blank. Basile did not know what to make of Hikaro's last comments. He watched as the Yamunesse, with Yuri on board, turned and warped away.

&&&&&&


	4. 4

&&&&&&  
  
Gustav rubbed his temples with his index fingers. He had debriefed Basile and sat alone with the mission report on the desk in front of him. Hikaro's words were right there in black and white. What did it mean? His thoughts turned to Yuri. She was alive, but for how much longer? Without the document, everything changed. Damage control protocol demanded she be classified a rogue agent by the 3WA, and they would disavow any knowledge of her actions. She would most certainly be brought up on charges of espionage.  
  
"Toma, have you figured it out yet?" Toma's glasses gave a glint of glare through the monitor as he looked up from what he was reading.  
  
"Well, chief, as you are aware, Admiral Soren Verispano-Zengia's "Attack and Defense in 5 Dimensions" is a work written in 12 volumes. The passage Hikaro referred to is not in the section he indicated, but in a completely different section; number 4. Also, the ratio of combatant forces is 3:1, not 5:1 as he stated. The 3WA main computer has reviewed the video of his conversation with Chief Basile and confirmed through R.E.M., facial stress point and breathing rate analyses that he knew he was giving erroneous information."  
  
"Does that mean what I think it does?"  
  
"Yes, sir. He was giving us a coded message, and the code is 7:5:1."  
  
"What do you think it could mean?"  
  
"My research indicates only one possibility that stands out. With 97.562 % probability, he's given us the 3 numerical values for the variables of Savarius' long-range scanning algorithm."  
  
"That means we can..."  
  
"Yes. We can now input these values into our cloaking modulator. Savaruis- 3 will not know where we are until we enter their atmosphere; by then we'd be able to land and deploy before they could intercept. It took us two weeks to calculate the previous values that allowed the Lovely Angel to land on Savarius the last time. It is almost certain that these were changed after Yuri's escape. This will give us a very good element of surprise.  
  
Kei announced herself at the door. Gustav invited her in and explained the situation.  
  
"But it could be a trap." Some of Kei's old instincts reared themselves. "How do we know we can trust this guy?"  
  
"You're correct, Kei. That's why we'll send an exploratory unit in first before we risk a larger force." Basile turned to say something into the comm-unit.  
  
Kei cracked her knuckles; a gleam in her eye. A little action would relieve a lot of the stress she was feeling lately. She absent-mindedly pressed the locket to her chest. The steady heartbeat helped keep her focus.  
  
'We'll be back soon Keitaro, the both of us.'  
  
"All right, Toma. Create the patch to the cloaking program and upload it to the Apache unit immediately. Kei, let's get ready."  
  
"Right, sir." Both Kei and Toma chorused.  
  
&&&&&&  
  
First planetary defense minister Kapriel stood abruptly and saluted as the prince entered the inner chamber of the war room.  
  
"Your Highness."  
  
Monsuud nodded and sat down, motioning for Kapriel to do the same.  
  
"Status?"  
  
"Hikaro has retrieved the pod and she is alive." Kapriel was glad to be the bearer of good news this time. He had felt the prince's wrath before; the scar on his right arm bore testimony to that.  
  
"Our scans did not detect any transmission activity from the pod, save two hail attempts, so we are confident the 3WA does not have it."  
  
The "it' was the complete list, on opti-disc, of Savarian operatives assigned to various planetary systems within the triple star cluster. Monsuud was intent on building a Savarian empire. His strategy included political and economic destabilization of the surrounding civilizations within the cluster. Once his operatives ensured conditions were optimal, he would enter as the "white knight" with an offer of either military, financial, or political support (or any combination) that could not be refused. He then moved quickly to ratify an interim government before the 3WA could intervene. Taking candy from small children was more difficult. He had employed this strategy successfully six times. The Savarian Union now stood at twelve planets and 77 billion people. His ultimate goal of total control of all 37 planets would soon be within his grasp. With that many potential soldiers and that much raw material, he would amass a force that would rival the largest in the known universe. The 3WA could not sit idly and allow this shift in the balance of power.  
  
The list even included moles within the 3WA itself. Yuri hadn't the time to transmit the data to headquarters as the device Toma had given her had not performed completely as expected. It had successfully bypassed 14 layers of security to access the data, but the hidden 15th layer was tripped when she extracted the data to an external medium. The breach alarms sounded, and she had to move quickly.  
  
Her contacts met her at the rendezvous point. Pataira and Yui-ten had originally helped her infiltrate the palace using their cover as attendants- in-waiting. Members of the "3-Free!" movement, they had dedicated their lives to regaining freedom from the prince's tyrannical rule. Their group, while numbering in the hundreds of thousands, could not succeed without help. That was why they requested assistance from the 3WA. The 3WA needed irrefutable proof before it could act unilaterally against a standing government. Yuri now had that proof. A massive sweep would arrest and detain those identified. The evidence compiled would either topple the prince's regime internally, or it would provide the moral justification for removal by force.  
  
The three quickly made their way through the palace via the escape route that had been pre-planned. Guns drawn and covering for each other, the freedom fighters took turns through each checkpoint, always keeping Yuri protected. At one turn, Yui-ten encountered a security detachment and a firefight ensued. They didn't have time for this. They had to get Yuri out of there. She gave a signal to Pataira. Three fingers, then two, then an open palm across her forearm. Pataira nodded her understanding, and threw herself onto the floor of the corridor, squeezing seemingly random bursts from her weapon. Yui-ten knew the timing of the bursts; they were not random. She advanced in a zig-zag pattern from wall to wall until she was close enough to use the concussion field generator. Activated, she hurled it down the floor with all her strength. As it reached the enemy's position, she ignited it remotely, then quickly curled herself into as small a package as possible, jamming her thumbs into her ears for protection. Pataira threw herself onto Yuri. The shock wave did its job. After gathering Yuri and helping Yui-ten up, Pataira took the lead the rest of the way out of the palace. They encountered no more resistance, but Yui- ten was bleeding from a wound in her shoulder.  
  
"I'm all right. We have to keep going."  
  
They continued making their way to the abandoned quarry where the Lovely Angel was hidden. They barely said their good-byes when security forces opened fire on their position. The deja vu flashback of Flair's hit on Ralmophon was not lost on Yuri. She quickly completed the pre-flight checklist and launched. Reaching an altitude of 1000 ft., she strafed the first wave of security forces, trying to gain time for her colleagues. She couldn't continue as her sensors picked up the launch of their pursuit squadron. She had at most 3 minutes to get out of there. Her first priority was successful completion of her mission. That didn't make it any less difficult as she watched her comrades on the monitor . They fought valiantly, but were soon overmatched. Yui-ten was the first to fall as she was shot through the back. Pataira continued to fight, but her end came quickly as well. A grenade exploded to her left, killing her instantly.  
  
"Nooooooooooooo!!!!!!!"  
  
With a cry of anguish, Yuri released the Lovely Angel's entire array of Solon cluster bombs, incinerating a 5 square mile area. Yuri pushed the Lovely Angel to escape velocity; a stream of tears staining the front of her uniform. Their sacrifice would not be in vain.  
  
No it would not.  
  
&&&&&&  
  
"Next!"  
  
The fallen opponent needed assistance getting up from the floor. That made four that Ja-len had dispatched in less than 15 minutes. This was supposed to be a combat training session, but Ja-len made it his personal therapy session. If not for that, he would explode.  
  
"Ja-len. Take it down a notch. We are on your side." Ja-len bowed his apologies to the training coordinator, still keeping an eye open for another opponent.  
  
"I'll go next, but only if it's hand-to-hand", said some brave soul. Ja- len threw down his bokken, a wooden version of a samauri sword; a wicked smile on his face.  
  
"Mission briefing in twenty minutes", came the announcement. A sigh of relief arose from the the group as the coordinator dismissed them, much to Ja-len's dismay. Maybe this would be good news. God knew he could use some. He headed off to the showers.  
  
Later, in the briefing room, Gustav spoke.  
  
"I am asking for 3 volunteers for a reconnaissance unit to Savarius-3. This might be a suicide mission."  
  
Ja-len was first in line.  
  
'This is it. This is my destiny - what I was born for - what I have trained for - what I am now willing to die for. If - no, when I find her, I will not let anyone ever take her from me again. This I swear.'  
  
&&&&&&  
  
The retrieval unit released the pod in Bay 2 of the Yamunesse. After pressurization, an ensign unlocked and opened the hatch, quickly stepping away. Yuri, still not used to full gravity, nearly fell from the hatch door. She analyzed the situation as best she could. There were about 25 of them in the landing bay. Half of them appeared to be soldiers; the others were only technicians.  
  
"Stay behind me Mughi."  
  
"Meooow"  
  
She reached down to retrieve her saber where it had fallen. It felt a bit odd in her right hand; she made a mental note to practice right-handed a lot more, if she lived. She crouched in a defensive position and waited for her attackers. The ones who were armed circled her. She saw fear in the eyes of some of them. The loss of so many of their ships by her hand was still a fresh memory. They surmised that she could fight as well hand- to-hand as she could dogfight. Momentarily, the rear of the semi-circle opened and Hikaro stepped forward.  
  
"Lovely Angel Yuri of the 3WA, you are hereby placed under arrest for espionage. Put down your weapon and surrender at once. As you can see, you are outnumbered, and your left arm is turning black and blue. Allow us to give you the medical attention you require."  
  
A smile curled the right side of Yuri's lips at being called a "lovely angel" and not that other phrase that she and Kei despised. The opti-disc was still secured in her boot, and she momentarily considered destroying it. Her quick scan of the bay gave her an idea. On the far end sat two shuttle craft. If she could just make it to one of them, and if it was fueled, and if it was armed, she could try to break out of the bay and make another run for it. She frowned. There were a lot of "ifs" in that equation, but she didn't see any other choice. The saber fired up with a flash.  
  
"Hiiiiyaaaah!!!"  
  
&&&&&&  
  
Sevahnn hit the 'enter' key and waited. It would take about 2 hours. Toma really was brilliant, he thought. Who else could have thought of taking the theorem that matches trouble consultants into teams, to scan the medical records of the known universe of 73 trillion people? Keitaro's exact genetic profile was established in only one out of 670 million cases. Both his parents were dead, and neither had any extended family. The odds were still good that they would find a donor match. What they were doing was illegal, of course, and they both would be reprimanded at best. At worst, well, he didn't want to think about that.  
  
There had been some interference by bureaucrats who caught wind of their intentions and did not want the 3WA main computer used for such reasons. Rather than wait for "official" authorization, Toma merely used an entry point he had designed into a patch and accessed the system anyway. The resources used in the search routine would be masked through his "whitewash" program. Although he was fond of joking that he had absolutely no romantic interest in either Yuri or Kei, they were still two of his dearest friends, and he would never let anything get in the way of Keitaro's successful recovery.  
  
&&&&&&  
  
"Stop her! She's moving towards the shuttle craft!" It dawned on Hikaro what Yuri's strategy had been. Attack and slightly retreat. Attack and slightly retreat. All the while continue to move left. Closer. Closer. Mughi wisely kept pace right behind her. They were hamstrung as they couldn't risk injuring her any more than she was. Monsuud would have their heads. She was ten meters away when they tried to cover her with a net. She cut through it easily. A little closer. Her left arm was ablaze but she was almost there.  
  
Three meters.  
  
Suddenly, a wave of nausea and dizziness overtook her. Unknown to Yuri, the capsule had cracked slightly when she was shaken up, allowing a trace amount of the poison into her system. Weakness overtook her, and she dropped to one knee to gather herself, grasping the side of the hatch opening. Lifting Mughi into the hatch, she took deep breaths to try to clear her head. What a corps of soldiers could not do, .004 milligrams did. Panting with the effort to stand again, she lost her balance as everything went black. She was unconscious before she hit the floor.  
  
&&&&&&


	5. 5

&&&&&  
  
Kei dreamt.  
  
The hum of the Apache unit's warp engine was a drone that relaxed her and eventually put her to sleep. It was a happy dream. She was chasing after Keitaro through the park after he had put a bug in her sandwich. He had watched her intently while he waited for her to eat the sandwich. Kei had grown wise to his mischief over the years and sensed that something was up.  
  
"What did you do?" She asked warily.  
  
"Nothing Aunt Kei." Keitaro put on his most innocent face, but he couldn't hold it. The bug was trying to escape from the bottom of the sandwich and his eyes darted from it to Kei and back. Kei looked where he was looking and shrieked.  
  
"Ahhhhhh!"  
  
Keitaro bolted, laughing as he ran.  
  
"Keitaaaaaarooooooooo!"  
  
Kei took off after him, laughing at the joke as well. It was something she would have done as a child. Clearly she was rubbing off on him and she loved it. He was fast, but she was a well trained Trouble Consultant. He didn't stand a chance. He made it about thirty yards before she caught and tackled him. Rolling around in the grass, she pinched and tickled him mercilessly.  
  
"Aunt Kei! Please! I'm sor...ha..ha..ha..."  
  
"You little booger. I'll teach you!"  
  
"I won't do it again...ha...ha..." He had tears in his eyes and snot was running down his nose. She had tears in her eyes as well. She was never so happy in her life.  
  
Gustav glanced over at the smiling Kei and mused.  
  
'Sweet dreams, Kei. Things are going to get a little rough for us soon.'  
  
&&&&&  
  
"Where is she?! Take me to her this instant!"  
  
"Yes, your highness. Please follow me."  
  
Monsuud had stormed the palace hospital in search of Yuri. As soon as the Yamunesse landed, they immediately took her from sick bay to the hospital. The doctors had done their best to stabilize her, but she was still in guarded condition from the cyanide poisoning. She was in the ICU. Monitors kept track of her vital signs.  
  
The team of doctors stopped in front of the ICU doorway. The chief of staff, Dr. Saerkess spoke up.  
  
"Your Highness, as you can see by the monitors, she has stabilized. She will need some time for rest and recuperation, however. Our current prognosis is ..."  
  
"Stand aside!" Monsuud pushed Saerkess out of the way and strode into the ICU, right up to Yuri's bed.  
  
His scowl immediately softened.  
  
Yuri was indeed a sleeping beauty. She had been bathed by the nursing attendants and they had also washed and braided her hair into one thick plait which they laid over her shoulder. It still reached past her waist. Her arm had been set and placed in a soft cast. Luckily, no lasting damage had been done there.  
  
Monsuud gazed upon her beauty as if mesmerized. Her lips had a soft sheen, her cheekbones perfect. The rise and fall of her chest caught his attention. He reached for the sheet covering her and snatched it away, exposing her completely to his gaze.  
  
"Your Highness!" The staff gasped. He paid them no attention.  
  
Yuri was always pale. That was partly because she was slightly anemic. Her body was still a marvelous physical specimen, however. Her breasts were perfectly shaped, firm and upstanding. Their rise and fall in concert with her breathing was especially erotic. His gaze went lower, along her toned abdomen, the faint outline of her rectus abdominus laced with her intercostals, giving an athletic, yet still feminine effect. He was becoming aroused at the sight of her.  
  
'This is what she would deny me? I think not.'  
  
His gaze moved lower, to the neatly trimmed, heart-shaped purple tuft announcing her femininity. A sliver of drool formed and fell from the corner of his mouth. He was losing control of himself. Her beautiful, toned legs led finally to perfectly shaped feet. That was enough. He was going insane with lust. He had to take her, now. He reached out to put his hands on her.  
  
"Your Highness!" The staff shrieked in disbelief. He didn't hear them. He was growling like a madman.  
  
"Monsuud!" That voice pierced his foggy brain. It was Nialunh. The queen had followed the news of Yuri's arrival and had come to the ICU herself to satisfy her need to stay on top of all things related to this most recent development.  
  
He paused at the sound of her voice. She noticed a vacant, far-away look on his face that she had never seen before. She reached him quickly, putting her hand on his shoulder.  
  
"My husband, this is not befitting the Prince of the Realm. Surely you want to experience the exceeding pleasure of her realization that it is you, the great Prince Monsuud, who gives her the gift of his intimacy. That pleasure you cannot receive in her current state."  
  
She was getting through to him. Slowly, the vacant look was replaced with one she was much more familiar with. She glanced over at the still unconscious Yuri and bit her lip slightly with envy. She now understood her husband's deranged infatuation. She reached over and deftly pulled the sheet back up over Yuri.  
  
"Yes...Yes, Nialunh, you are correct. It...It would be unseemly if I were to...Yes."  
  
She helped him away from the bed, fixing his clothing upon him once again. He cleared his throat as he regained his composure. And his ego.  
  
"Yes. She will know that it is I who am her master. Saerkess!"  
  
"Your Highness."  
  
"You will revive her quickly, correct?"  
  
"We will do all that is within the realm of medicine to ..." Monsuud struck him down to the floor with a fist to the side of the head.  
  
"Is that the answer I wanted?!"  
  
"No, Highness. We...We will ensure her revival." Saerkess spat blood along with the tooth he lost.  
  
"That is the answer that I wanted. See that you keep you word. See that you keep your head!"  
  
"By your command, Highness."  
  
Klaxons sounded at that very moment. Monsuud gripped his comm unit.  
  
"This is Prince Monsuud. What is happening?"  
  
"Intruder alert, your Highness. A small ship has come out of warp and bypassed our long and medium-range sensors. It has likely landed in the Epsilon sector of the second Hyperian continent."  
  
"How did they bypass our sensors!"  
  
"We are investigating that at this time your Highness."  
  
"I want the one responsible for this brought before me within the hour. Is that understood?"  
  
"Yes, your Highness."  
  
'Bastards. The 3WA is here. No matter, they will not leave this planet alive.'  
  
&&&&&


	6. 6

# # # # # # #  
  
Yuri groaned as her mind slowly came back to a conscious state. The first thing she noticed was that she was breathing.  
  
'They didn't kill me?'  
  
Remembering her broken arm, she clenched her left hand into a fist, and winced, but the sharp pain she expected never came. Apparently, they had set it and used the new quikfuse technology for rapid merge of bone and marrow cells. Amazingly, it almost felt as good as new.  
  
'Now let's see where I am and how I can get out of here.'  
  
Keeping her breathing even, she cracked open an eye, not wanting anyone to know she had revived just yet. Her room was empty. She glanced about, searching for any kind of surveillance device. Since she was at a disadvantage, she decided to not risk moving for now and to wait for a better opportunity to take action.  
  
'Mughi must be held somewhere. I've got to get to him, he won't be able to take being caged up.'  
  
She prayed she was correct, and that they wouldn't have killed him as long as she was alive, in order to use him as leverage against her.  
  
Presently, a group of medical staff came into the room and reviewed her charts and monitoring equipment. They eventually all left except for one nurse. As soon as the door closed, she walked back to Yuri's bed, careful to place herself between Yuri's head and the surveillance camera. She adjusted the drip rate on Yuri's i/v and then took a small pin and pricked the end of Yuri's little finger with it. That elicited a sharp intake of breath, and Yuri's eyes fluttered open in spite of her attempt at subterfuge.  
  
"I am sorry, but this was the only way I could check to see if you have revived without causing undue suspicion. I am Ciriani, Pataira's younger sister. I will help you to escape." She said softly and evenly, all the while performing her nurse's duties.  
  
"Blink twice if you understand." Yuri did so.  
  
"Wait until nightfall, I will return for you." She whispered, while prepping the replacement bag for Yuri's glucose solution.  
  
The medical staff came around again a few more times that day, but Yuri kept up her ruse. After they left, she exhaled sharply. It was tough keeping this up. She was going out of her mind with boredom.  
  
A few hours after nightfall, the nurse's shifts changed and, as promised, Ciriani returned.  
  
"You can get up now. Don't worry about the security monitor, I've taken care of that."  
  
Yuri sat up and swung her legs over the edge of the bed. A bit too fast from her prone position, she became a bit dizzy.  
  
"Oh."  
  
"Here. Let me help you." Ciriani offered a hand and helped her down.  
  
"Thank you." Yuri waited while Ciriani removed the i/v and the monitoring equipment, all the while taking in the girl's features. She was about nineteen, 5'7" with a medium build, and short black hair. She had tanned skin, light brown eyes and full lips. She was very pretty. She looked like Pataira's sister would look. Yuri's heart gripped at the memory of Pataira's sacrifice.  
  
"I'm so sorry about your sister and Yui-ten. We tried..."  
  
"Please, Yuri." Ciriani interrupted. "We all understand the risks involved in our fight for freedom. I loved my sister, and although it sounds strange, I love her even more in death. She chose liberty, as do I, as do all of us.  
  
"Have you any other family?"  
  
"I have one younger sister, Kotori, who is seven. Our parents both died in the last failed coup attempt, so we are doing as well as can be expected under the circumstances." She said evenly.  
  
"I am most thankful to you for the risks you are taking on all of our behalf and so I pledge my life to you also. Now, enough about me, we need to get you out of here."  
  
Yuri was touched by the level of dedication to their cause. It renewed her determination to succeed at taking down the monster who posed as their leader.  
  
Ciriani opened the bag she was carrying. Yuri was shocked to find her 3WA uniform.  
  
"How did you..."  
  
"A colleague procured it for me, knowing I was to meet you tonight. It has even been cleaned for you."  
  
Ciriani smiled as she handed the bag to Yuri. Yuri immediately began to remove her robe to put on her uniform. Ciriani let out a small gasp and tried very hard to hold her blush. She never hid from her colleagues the fact that she had a preference for women and being in such close proximity to the object of Monsuud's infatuation was turning out to be a bit difficult for her. She licked her lips slightly. All the reports she had heard were true. Yuri, up close, was intoxicatingly beautiful.  
  
Now completely nude, and also completely oblivious to being ogled, Yuri reached up and back to unbind her hair from its plait. Her breasts rose up on her chest when she did that. Ciriani bit her bottom lip. Even with the cast on her arm, there was no part of Yuri's body that was not perfect. This was going to be a difficult assignment, but Ciriani resolved to keep her mind on her job. She cleared her throat as much to clear her own mind as to catch Yuri's attention.  
  
"Ahem. Unfortunately, your weapon has been secured by the military and was not recoverable." She did her best to resume her professional demeanor. Yuri turned to her after shaking out her hair.  
  
"It's alright. I'll make do with whatever we can get our hands on."  
  
Ciriani tore herself away and went to the door to check on the guard status as Yuri pulled on her boots. She gasped.  
  
The opti-disc was still where she had hidden it.  
  
'This can't be right. They should have found it when they examined my clothing. Unless they DID find it and left it here for some reason of their own...'  
  
Why hadn't Ciriani said anything about it when she gave Yuri her clothing back? Yuri's intuition started to kick in as Ciriani gave her the signal for them to leave the room. She had to consider any possibility, even one that included Ciriani working for Monsuud.  
  
# # # # # # #  
  
"EEEEEEYAAAAAAAAAAAAAHHHHHHH!"  
  
With that battle cry, Kei opened the throttle on the Exo-Terra mini-bike and simultaneously opened fire on the Savarian patrol sent in reconnaissance to investigate the Apache's landing. There were about seventy in the patrol against Yuri, Gustav, Ja-len, and Ja-len's wingmen, Sirhaan and DaKota. Ja-len was deeply moved that his wingmen accompanied him, perhaps to their demise, but they both joked that they had to look out for him, and couldn't live with themselves if they left that job to anyone else. They had also figured out that he was pining away over Yuri, so they were also there to make sure he didn't do anything stupid.  
  
Seventy against five.  
  
The seventy were outnumbered.  
  
With incredible cycling skill, learned during the time she was bodyguard to a crime boss, Kei weaved through the barrage of flak from mounted mobile gunnery as well as sniper fire, leaving the enemy shooting at where she was but a second ago. One hand on the throttle, the other taking out troop transport and tank alike, Kei's blood was pumping. She was actually getting a high from combat as her kill count rose.  
  
Ja-len was her right flank on this offensive, and he took out the individual pockets of resistance Kei might have missed, his weapon moving like lightning as well. The others followed the two of them in standard ground-assault formation. Ja-len used a hand-held chain-linked Gattling, fed from a backpack, ripping off 20mm explosive tipped rounds. The combat was getting to his head as well. Everything was moving in slow-motion, that was how psyched he was. He even had time to smile at Kei in admiration of her skill as she sped on ahead of him. He made a mental note to never get on her bad side.  
  
She was lethal.  
  
At one point in the battle, her bike was hit and taken out from under her. In one smooth movement, Kei holstered her blaster, gripped the handlebars, and flipped herself forward while pushing the disabled vehicle in the opposite direction. There was a moment of dead silence as all, colleague and foe alike, watched the Olympic caliber athlete perform a perfect two and a half somersault into a tuck before sticking the landing. A collective "Ohhhh" was heard before she hit the ground running, her blaster now back in her hand, dishing out its deadly contents.  
  
In less than fifteen minutes after they landed, it was over. Gustav was now interrogating the patrol commander, who had surrendered under the onslaught. He was being instructed to report the successful capture of the Apache crew, to create a false sense of security for Monsuud's forces. This would give Gustav's team time to get to their intended target before the disinformation could be verified.  
  
# # # # # # #  
  
"Where are we going?" Yuri whispered, trying to keep up with Ciriani. They were moving through different sections of the palace, keeping a low profile, stepping off into one of the rooms as the occasional guard passed.  
  
"You wouldn't leave without your little friend, would you?" Ciriani kept her voice low.  
  
"Mughi!" Yuri squealed. Her heart almost skipped.  
  
"He's alright?"  
  
"Yes. He was being kept in a kennel, but the dogs went crazy, so they had to move him. We'll be there momentarily." They made for the end of the corridor they were in, then stepped into what looked to be a dining hall. Ciriani closed the door behind them before searching for the lights.  
  
"He's in a room just at the end of this one." Ciriani said before proceeding.  
  
"Certainly, you did not think you could escape from me?" A booming voice leapt out from the darkness.  
  
At the sound of that voice, Yuri's blood ran cold. The lights switched on, and after wincing, her eyes adjusted. She gasped out loud.  
  
Monsuud was sitting in a chair at the end of a long table in the middle of the room, and in his arms was a small girl, who appeared to be about seven. The child's mouth was bound with tape, apparently to keep her from alerting them. Not far from them was Nialunh, who had insisted on being there, if only to offer whatever protection she could for the child.  
  
"Kotori!" Ciriani screamed out.  
  
"Yes. As you see, we have ways of finding things out. Important things." He moved a powerful hand to the girl's throat and squeezed. Kotori's eyes bulged as she was being asphyxiated right before them.  
  
"Monsuud!"  
  
Anguish was tearing Nialunh apart. She had only wanted for her husband to take what he wanted from Yuri and for this to all be over with. She never wanted it to go this far.  
  
"Silence, wench!" Were you still able to excite me, perhaps all this would not have been necessary, eh?"  
  
Nialunh dropped her head in shame, unable to find the words to respond. Yuri's anger rose even higher. How dare he insult...  
  
"Come to me, Yuri. You know what I want?" Her skin crawled at the sound of his voice. She became bold.  
  
"You may have your way with me, but I'll be dead. You know what they call those kinds of sick people?"  
  
Monsuud did NOT want Yuri dead. He wanted her alive, and broken to his will.  
  
"Highness, please release my sister. She has done nothing to deserve this. I will do anything if you release her, anything. Just..."  
  
In one motion, Monsuud pulled a blaster from his belt, aimed at Ciriani and pulled the trigger. Everything slowed down. The flash of light from his blaster, Ciriani's head jerking backward, her body falling to the ground. Kotori jerked herself away from Monsuud and ran over to her sister's prone form. It took all of a few seconds, but Yuri thought she aged a hundred years.  
  
# # # # # # #  
  
The Apache was airborne again, in low spectrum stealth mode, speeding to the capital city, and the palace. The prisoners of war were cooperating nicely. Kei was seated next to Ja-Len, and couldn't stop glancing over at him. Ja-Len was starting to get unnerved, so he spoke.  
  
"What is it?"  
  
"How long?"  
  
"How long what?"  
  
"How long have you been in love with Yuri?"  
  
Ja-Len would have face-faulted, but they were airborne, moving at mach 10.  
  
"Wh...what makes you think..."  
  
"Come off it, I read the briefing on the confiscation of the Lovely Angel escape pod by the Savarians, so I know you almost got court-martialled because you wouldn't leave her. And seeing you in combat, well, you fight with a passion that comes from either wanting to get away from something, or get to something. I just put two and two together."  
  
Ja-Len looked down at his hands. He couldn't stop the blush that spread across his cheeks.  
  
"So I'm busted. Guilty as charged. Is it so wrong to want to see her safe? Don't you love her as well?" Kei was a bit taken aback by that last question.  
  
"I'm her partner. It's my job to..."  
  
"But you love her."  
  
Kei sighed.  
  
"I hated her guts, once..."  
  
"But you love her."  
  
"Yes."  
  
"Are the two of you..."  
  
"No, we don't have that kind of relationship. Yuri's into guys, and I'm still holding out hope that there's somebody out there who can put up with me and now my kid."  
  
Kei gave him a look and knitted her brows.  
  
"Listen to me spilling my guts to somebody I just met. I must be gettin' senile in my old age."  
  
"Hey! We're combat buddies now, closer than brother and sister, even. That's got to count for something, right?" Ja-len gave Kei his winningest smile.  
  
"You know, you just might be o.k." Kei smiled back at him.  
  
"But if you ever hurt Yuri..."  
  
She took off her glove and smacked him in the face with it in mock anger. The joke was lost on Ja-len as he sank back down into his seat, a sad look on his face.  
  
"I don't think you ever have to worry about that happening, Kei. Yuri wouldn't give me a second look. I'm just not her type. I know it's not healthy, but I'm afraid this is a one-sided love affair."  
  
"Did she reject you?"  
  
"No, but..."  
  
"Well, then, one chance is as good as a million. Tell you what. We get my partner's ass out of the sling and I'll put in a good word for you, eh?"  
  
"But Kei, I couldn't ask you to..."  
  
"Never mind. You're one of the good guys. I've got a gut feeling about you. Yuri's been dating real jerks lately and I want her to be happy. Just remember..." She waved her glove at him and they both broke out in laughter.  
  
"Thanks, Kei."  
  
# # # # # # #  
  
Nialunh closed her eyes at the sound of the blaster. She willed back the tears that threatened to fall at another life taken by her husband. Ciriani was dead. Kotori's shrieks echoed throughout the chamber as she fell upon the body of her sister. Monsuud glared at Yuri, and a small smile crept upon his lips. This game with her excited him. His next move came to him. He knew Yuri wasn't afraid to die, but what of witnessing the death of an innocent?  
  
He aimed the blaster at the wailing child, even as Kotori held her sister's head in her lap, brushing the strands of hair from her face, her body shaking from the sobs that shook it. She hadn't even gotten over the death of her parents, and then Pataira was taken from her. Now, Ciriani. Her tears fell on her sister's now peaceful face as she rocked back and forth. Kotori was now alone in this world, and her young mind was losing it's grip on what little reality she could still manage.  
  
Yuri's head was spinning. The success of her mission was her top priority, hundreds of millions of lives depended on it, but this was something she never expected to witness. Although she knew he was responsible for the deaths of many thousands of innocents, she was not prepared for this up- close exhibit of barbarism. The extinction of an entire family now was in Monsuud's hands. He would kill Kotori now and it would be as if her family never existed.  
  
"Well Yuri, my dear, it seems her life is now in your hands. What are the words I want to hear?"  
  
Yuri swallowed. She reached for her saber out of instinct before remembering she didn't have it.  
  
"..."  
  
"ARRRRRRRGHH!!"  
  
Monsuud's sneer of contempt turned into a grunt of rage at Yuri's hesitation. He quickly moved to the crouching child and pulled her to her feet by her hair, placing the blaster muzzle behind her ear. Kotori stopped wailing, but the look of panic on her face was unmistakable.  
  
Yuri's breath caught in her throat at his unexpected move. She had to do something.  
  
Monsuud smiled as he moved the weapon to the child's shoulder.  
  
"I now wonder if she should suffer a bit before execution. The loss of an arm, perhaps?"  
  
Kotori looked pleadingly at Yuri.  
  
Nothing in Yuri's training had prepared her for the abject cruelty she was witness to. She was nauseated, but bit back the bile as she knew that one false move would mean the child's death.  
  
"I... I'll do... whatever you want."  
  
She mouthed the words. Her pride raged, but she slapped it back down. Her mission would be put on hold temporarily. She would not let this child die.  
  
"Did you say something? I did not quite hear you."  
  
Yuri dropped to one knee in submission.  
  
"I'll do as you ask." She cast her eyes down.  
  
"I'm sorry, were you addressing me? Do you know to whom you speak, bitch?"  
  
He twisted the child's hair, threatening to pull it out by its roots. Yuri had learned from her previous time at the palace of his odd proclivities. She had to soften his edge before he killed the girl anyway.  
  
"What is it you require of your...of me, M... Master?" It took every ounce of resolve to speak those words.  
  
"That is MUCH better."  
  
He dropped Kotori from his grip, and she fell to the floor in a heap. He walked over to the still kneeling Yuri as he barked at Nialunh.  
  
"Take this garbage out of my sight before I change my mind! And clean this up." He waved at Ciriani's body. Nialunh snatched up Kotori and moved quickly, silently to summon the guards from the nearest station.  
  
Monsuud reached down to cup Yuri's chin in his hand and raise her face to his. He stared directly into her eyes. She did not blink.  
  
"I will send attendants for you. You will clean up and prepare yourself for me. And then we shall practice from the ancient texts of the Kama Sutra together.  
  
"I am your humble servant, master. Your wish is my desire."  
  
She spoke the words, but the fire was still in her eyes. She would not be broken so easily. Monsuud smiled, almost benevolently. He moved his hand from Yuri's chin to her left breast and gave it a squeeze, as she was his property now. Yuri flinched and swallowed the curse she was about to spit at him, remaining where she was. Under any other circumstance, he would be dead where he stood, sliced in half by a flick of her wrist.  
  
"I had a spirited filly like you once. She was tamed. As you will be."  
  
He rose and left her on her knees, breathing heavily from the adrenaline rush of all that had just happened.  
  
# # # # # # #  
  
Cybical Chaos: Thanks for your interest in my fics! 


	7. Yuri, My Yuri

&&&&&&&

"Good news, Toma. We've found not one, but three potential donors." Sevahnn ran his hands through his hair as he leaned back in his chair. Adjusting his glasses, he took a sip from his now tepid coffee.

"That's wonderful! What next?"

Toma, working in his mini-lab in the WWWA main building, had just uploaded the cloaking modifications to the remainder of the 3WA 4th Assault fleet and was now working on the final touches to the "diver" program that would infiltrate and take control of all of Savarius' computer control and communications systems once the command was given.

After Monsuud's expected arrest and removal, the 3WA would exercise its interstellar articles of protective domain, ensuring political and economic stability until a new government could be elected.

"The donor contracts have been authorized and forwarded back to us. Two of the three are en-route to the medical center here for the final selection process, as we speak. If all goes well, the transplant could be completed by no later than noon, tomorrow."

"Kei will be ecstatic. I'll be sure to notify her as soon as the communications blackout on her mission is lifted."

&&&&&&&

The attendants were very quiet, and very efficient. The girls knew from experience what the prince expected, and Yuri was outfitted accordingly. After her bath and shampoo, which were sweetened with the finest toilet waters, she was perfumed and coifed, and then dressed. She was fitted with a strapless pale blue taffeta dress which fell off her shoulders and accentuated her bosom. It cinched at the waist with a barely off-white strip of incredibly detailed motifs, including the crest of Savarius in precious stone. It cascaded to a double frill about her ankles. The same motif was present in the trim of the neckline. The high heels of her polished leather pumps added a few inches to her height.

The tight ringlet curls in her hair cascaded down past her waist, creating an aura effect about her when the light reflected off them. Underneath, she wore rose red silken underwear and garters that matched her lip gloss. Even the attendants blushed when they completed their work.

On the outside, the picture of an angel, underneath a she-devil. Exactly as the prince desired.

Yuri gazed at her reflection in the mirror as two attendants polished her fingernails after her manicure. For as long as she could remember, she loved to dress up and she _really_ loved to be pampered as the princess she always knew she was, and under other circumstances she would have been ecstatic to look as beautiful as the image her reflection returned. But that emotion was tempered with the stark reality of what was about to happen. She had traded her pride and modesty for a child's life. In effect, she had sold her body.

'So, you've... prostituted yourself?' The voice in her head accused.

No! A little girl's life was spared.

She furrowed her brow as she mentally continued to justify her action. How bad could it be? She would feed his ego and then it would all be over. He would indeed _have_ her, but he would never have _her_.

And it wasn't like she was _completely_ innocent or anything. She recalled her lecture to Julian, when he had insisted that she was something she was not, convinced as he was of her "purity". Yuri had painstakingly explained to him that she was a mature young woman who made her own decisions about who she wanted to be intimate with. She felt a tug at her heart as she remembered her infatuation with him. But that relationship was not meant to be. She sighed as the attendants finished their tasks.

&&&&&&&

Gustav announced the strategy session in-flight. The monitor descended from the ceiling of the Apache's cabin and the first video started, showing the floor plans and elevations of the Savarian palace. Kei quipped.

"You mean we don't get a movie? And what about my peanuts?"

Gustav gave her _the_ look, which caused the others to stop laughing immediately. Kei shrugged, her attempt at levity not appreciated by the boss at this time.

"Now then. This information has been given to us by our inside sources. It is almost certain that Yuri is still alive as they have not made any announcement regarding any capture of her, dead or alive, which Monsuud most certainly would want the publicity for. Since this would have been a perfect opportunity for them to spin her capture as "another example of 3WA imperialism", we've concluded that a second scenario is most likely taking place. Although the dungeons are here..." he used a pointer to direct their attention to a section of the palace.

"...Yuri almost certainly will be kept in the palatial suite, somewhere... here."

"And why is that, sir?"

"Because..." He took a deep breath. "Monsuud wants more from Yuri than information, alone." Gustav made certain everyone got his meaning.

Kei felt Ja-len tense up. She looked over at him. He was nervously cracking his knuckles, his teeth making an audible scraping sound when he ground them. She put a hand on his forearm. He looked over at her and tried to smile, but all that came out was a grimace.

"Don't worry. She can take care of herself." Kei said that as much for herself as she did for him, biting her own lower lip absent-mindedly. She ran her fingers through her hair and then cracked her own knuckles.

"You're as nervous as I am." Ja-len said accusingly.

"Shut up."

"All right everyone, pay attention. We'll only have time for two simulations before we reach our target. I don't want any screw-ups.

&&&&&&&

Yuri continued to pace nervously, her attendants, having completed their tasks, were gathered in one corner of the room, waiting for the prince. One thought kept repeating itself in her mind, and that thought kept her going.

'I gave him my word and she 's still alive.'

Monsuud entered the bedchamber and stopped abruptly, when Yuri turned to face him. The ringlets of her hair swinging around after her before coming to a rest, Yuri was a vision from heaven, reminding him once again why he had taken so much trouble to get her back. It took him a moment to find his voice.

"Yuri, my dear. How lovely you look tonight."

He wore his more informal evening robes, which were red silk with a black sash and black trim at the collar and cuffs. His jet black hair was in a ponytail and, now shaven, his face was almost handsome, Yuri noted. With a gesture, he dismissed the attendants as he approached his prize. The women moved quickly past them, heads bowed.

Where is she?"

"Whomever do you mean, my lovely one?"

He knew exactly who Yuri meant, but his interest had been piqued ever since the incident in the dining hall and he wanted to know more about what motivated this woman to save someone she had never met before.

"The girl, Kotori. I want to see her, before..."

Her eyes looked away momentarily and her voice trailed off, not wanting to give him the satisfaction of hearing her admit to what was about to transpire.

"Oh, do you mean that little bug I showed mercy to on your behalf? She is unharmed.

"I want to see her for myself."

"Yuri, you try my patience more than any other woman I have known, but..." His eyes took her in from head to toe.

'I believe you are worth the trouble you cause me.' He finished the thought to himself.

He barked some commands into the comm-link nearest the settee. After a time, there was a knock on the door.

"Enter!"

The door opened and two of the royal palace guards entered, escorting Kotori. The girl immediately recognized Yuri, and ran over to her. Yuri knelt and embraced the child, who started to cry in relief at the presence of a somewhat familiar, kind face.

"There now. Everything will be all right. I promise."

Yuri held her shoulders as she pushed back slightly to look into her eyes.

"My name is Yuri. I want you to promise me you'll be brave, and everything is going to be all right. O.k.?"

Kotori looked hesitatingly from Yuri to the man who had killed her sister just hours before. She sensed that Yuri was in some kind of trouble but couldn't figure out what it was.

"You... you won't leave me behind?"

Her large, sad eyes locked onto Yuri's; her small hands fidgeted with a button on her blouse as she sniffled back her sobs. Gazing upon her sweet face, looking into her eyes, Yuri saw the fear and uncertainty, the pain of loss, the hopelessness.

Something happened then in Yuri's heart. Something she never felt before and never in her life expected. She clutched her fist to her chest as the feeling was palpable. It was as if the gods themselves that had set these events in motion now made a proclamation with great fanfare.

This child was hers.

It was clear. Kotori had not come from her body, but that was of no consequence. This was to be their birthing process, their bonding. She finally understood the feeling Kei had for Keitaro firsthand. The feeling was so powerful, Yuri had to fight off the urge to cry in front of her with all her strength. Instead, she pulled her back into an embrace, and, running her fingers through the girl's hair, soothed.

"No, Kotori. I _will_ _not_ leave you behind. Understand?"

The orphan looked back up at Yuri, whose soft smile eased her troubled heart. She nodded her head, the light in the room glistening off her raven hair.

"Yes, Yuri."

Yuri stood and turned to face Monsuud, Kotori still clutching her hand tightly. There was a much more determined look on her face now.

"Where is Mughi? I want to see him now."

"Yuri, my dear, I grow weary of this. You are certainly not in a position to make demands at this time..."

Yuri patted Kotori on the shoulder and when the girl released her, walked up to the prince, her hip-length curls bouncing with each step. This was possibly her last trump card, and she would have to work it just right. Stopping a few feet in front of him, she bowed, curls cascading forward to hide her face.

"Your highness."

Straightening up, her hair resumed its position. With the effects of the light reflecting off them, it was mesmerizing. Closing the distance between them, Yuri gauged his reaction to her.

'He could have killed me at any time after my capture, but he didn't. He could have taken me at any time, but I believe that he wants me to want _him_, so I have to use that in order to make this work.'

She regulated her breathing as best she could, never forgetting that she was in the presence of a genocidal maniac. She reminded herself that she had to gain some measure of control, however, using whatever means she had to twist it from him. Stepping so close that Monsuud was slightly taken aback, she put her hands on his chest, and made certain that he inhaled her perfume a few times before she whispered into his ear.

"On my planet, Shack-G, there is no such thing as infidelity, because when a woman comes of age, she is taught the art of the Sirens of Messina, which can send a man to the heights of ecstasy never before experienced."

Fluttering her lashes, she paused for effect as she noticed his breathing increase. She called all her feminine wiles into play.

"Would you like for me to share with you what I have been taught?" The response was instantaneous.

"Guard! Retrieve the cat-creature, immediately!" He barked. He regarded her with a raised eyebrow.

"You play this game well, my dear. I am beginning to see that you are more of a formidable adversary than I originally surmised." He gave her a crooked smile.

Presently, Mughi was brought in and upon seeing Yuri, bounded up into her arms in relief.

"Meeeoooow!"

"Mughi! You're all right! I'm so glad."

She took him over to the girl and knelt once again.

"Mughi, this is Kotori. Kotori, this is my little friend, Mughi. I want you to take good care of him for me until I come for you, o.k?"

She handed Mughi over to the girl, who cradled him in one arm while petting him with her other hand. Mughi, no longer caged and happy to have anyone pay him some attention, purred contentedly. Kotori looked up at Yuri, and for the first time, smiled. Monsuud grumbled.

"I have waited long enough. Guards, remove them."

"Wait!" Yuri turned to Monsuud. She pushed the envelope of her new-found influence once again.

"Give me your word that you won't do anything to harm them."

"So we are making demands now, eh?"

"Give me your word as the prince of Savarius."

Yuri was adamant. It would probably mean next to nothing, but she hoped she could reach some part of him where honor was still respected. Monsuud's own words reflected back to him.

'Yuri, you try my patience more than any other woman I have known, but I believe you are worth the trouble.'

This was a novel experience for him. In spite of his posture and bombast, she was breaking something down inside him, and the turmoil this caused he could not control.

What manner of witch is this?

He could kill her, right now and that would be the end of it. She defiantly met his gaze with her own, her dark eyes boring into him. How dare she place demands upon him. Did the girl forget her place? And in front of the imperial guards, no less. The silence was palpable as even the guards knew that others had been slain for much less than this. Monsuud fingered the scabbard of his dagger as he studied her for a moment longer.

He could kill her...

But he couldn't, and he sensed she knew it. He would work to find the source of this weakness, and he needed her to feel she had some measure of control in order to do so.

"Very well. They mean nothing to me in any event. You have my word. They will not be harmed."

He waved the guards away. Kotori, still clutching Mughi tightly, craned her neck back at Yuri as she was escorted out of the room. The prince sat himself down on the cushioned seat and rubbed his hands together.

"And now my Yuri, let us continue."

"I wish... for nothing but your happiness, your highness."

With that, she raised her hands to either side of her and began to dance for him the dance of the Sirens.

&&&&&&&

The Savarian palace was basically triangular in design, built on a mountain whose peak had been leveled. There were three spires at the top of a seven leveled structure. It was all but impenetrable, except for the plan being executed by the 3WA.

The Apache was surrounded by its "escorts" as the ruse regarding its capture would continue until all parties landed. In reality, the 3WA ship had locked on to the three Savarian ships with tractor beams and was monitoring all communications to and from the palace, the enemy pilots having already been warned as to the consequences of any false move.

"All right everyone. Three minutes. We finally have a positive lock on the opti-disc location and that's where we'll breach the palace. Fifth level of the northeast tower, here."

Gustav pinpointed the location and continued.

"In another 45 seconds, we're going to release our "escorts" and splash them into the lake to the west of the mountain. We'll jam any communication during that time until we have what we came for."

"Any questions?" The team members shook their heads.

"All right then. Final weapons check."

Kei's blaster was fully charged. Ja-len's backpack held a continuous clip with 300 rounds, with a spare clip in the compartment below it. He also checked his hand-held laser pistol one last time. DaKota and Sirhaan also nodded when their weapons checks were completed.

Ten seconds.

They were approaching the palace from the west, and could now see its spires reaching up toward the heavens, the surrounding mountain range almost camouflaging it from prying eyes.

Five seconds.

They were now over the western lake. Gustav nodded, and DaKota reversed the tractor beam into repel mode, forcing the three Savarian ships down into the lake below.

Three.

Two.

One.

Before the defensive battery could get a lock on the target, the Apache rose above the observation deck of the northeast tower, an unmarked blackbird of death, and with one shot, destroyed the solid metal doors that guarded the entrance at that level. The blast dispersed any guards who happened to be at that post, sending a few of them over the barrier of the deck, down the mountainside below.

Sirhaan landed the ship, and the team was inside the palace in seconds. Kei and Ja-len would hunt for Yuri, while Gustav, Sirhaan and DaKota would retrieve the disc.

&&&&&&&

"Yes. That is wonderful." The prince whispered as he leaned forward on the large sofa.

Yuri continued to dance to a rhythm in her head as she moved her body sinuously from side to side, her arms, legs and hips moving now from memory of the dance taught her by her mother, many moons ago. It had been years since she danced like this, since her charms had always been more than enough to attract any man she desired.

The prince continued to growl his approval as she continued to arouse him. She danced closer to him. He reached for her. She danced away from him. She bent forward from the waist, curls touching the floor, then whipped her head back, and then turned it in a circular motion like a whirling dervish. She approached him again, striking him with her hair. He inhaled the fragrance of her, and reached out once again, almost standing. She used both hands to push him back to a seated position.

Reaching behind herself, she deftly released the clasp of the dress and it fell to the floor. Without missing a beat, she stepped over it and continued. The contrast of the wisps of red silk against her pale white skin was striking. The prince croaked an approving sound at the sight of her. He licked his lips. What he had been waiting for, what had cost him an immeasurable amount of men and materiel, was at hand.

Yuri danced ever closer; a few more inches and she would be within his grasp. She would not escape him again.

And then the palace shook.

&&&&&&&

"Kei. Are you sure we're going in the right direction!?"

Ja-len shouted above the din of klaxons, exploding ordinance and crumbling brick and mortar. It was a bit difficult to get the hang of moving backwards as it was disorienting. Kei was moving forward at a fast pace, blasting away palace guard resistance as she recalled the floor plans outlined in the briefing from memory. Ja-len was trying to keep up, literally running backwards, taking out pockets that tried to advance upon them from behind.

"What did you say?!" She yelled over her shoulder.

A large explosion rocked the palace from a few levels above them.

'Gustav and the others must be just as busy as we are' He thought.

"I said, are we going in the right..."

Kei grabbed his shoulder and pushed him down to the floor as pieces of the doors to the royal chambers went flying past their heads, the guards outside having been dispatched by the shock wave of the explosion. As they brushed themselves off, they proceeded into the antechamber, when Kei found her wrist grabbed by one of the guards hiding behind the doorway. With a twist, her blaster dropped to the ground and he spun her around until he was behind her, one arm around her throat. Before he could break her neck, she stomped on his instep, causing him to release her from the hold. Kei then dropped to the ground, flipping him over her head.

Unfortunately, he grasped the necklace as he went over her head, and it and the locket went with him, crashing to the floor. The guard, somewhat stunned, regarded what he had in his hand, then looked up at Kei.

"Give that back to me." She snarled menacingly, picking up her weapon.

The guard realized that what he held was of some value and studied it briefly before finding the clasp and opening it. Keitaro's lock of hair fluttered to the floor, Kei's eyes following its dance intently.

Ja-len appeared in the doorway with smoke coming from his hand-held weapon. He didn't know what had transpired, but when he saw the look on Kei's face, he trained his gun on the guard, but kept his mouth shut.

Kei took a step forward, her blaster aimed at the guard's head.

"I said give that back."

The guard knew his fate was sealed one way or another as these special forces units took no prisoners. With a short, maniacal laugh, he dropped the locket to the floor. Both Kei and Ja-len followed its fall as it took a short bounce.

The guard then crushed it under his boot.

"Death to all enemies of Savarius!"

Kei stopped her trigger finger one millionth of a second before she blew his head off. That would be too easy. He had made this personal now, the poor idiot, and little did he realize the can of whoop-ass he had just opened. Ja-len grimaced at the demolition that was about to occur.

"You bastard!" Kei hissed.

In three steps she was upon him. Her left foot moved so fast that it was almost back on the ground before the 'crack' sound of the guard's jaw being broken could be heard. As the blood flowed from his mouth, Kei grabbed his shoulders and kneed him in the groin, then drove the heel of her palm right up into the bridge of his nose, breaking it with a sick sounding crunch. His head snapped backward and as Kei released him, she wheeled backward, pivoting on her left foot, and delivered a viscious roundhouse kick to the back of his head. He was unconscious as he headed in the direction of the floor, but Kei wasn't finished. She grabbed the back of his collar before he hit the floor, and pulled him back up by his hair. Grabbing his chin with one hand, she gave a blood curdling scream as she was about to kill him with her bare hands.

"Eeeyaaaaaaahh!"

"Kei!!!"

Ja-len knew he was taking his own life in his hands, but he knew Kei wasn't herself right now and he didn't want her regretting this later on. Kei was breathing heavily as she turned to face him, a murderous look in her eyes. He had found the lock of hair and held it out to her. She dropped the guard to the floor and approached him. She held her head down as she stuck her hand out and took the lock. She blushed her embarrassment as she spoke.

"I... uhh."

"Don't worry, Kei. We're battle-buddies, remember?"

She smiled at him and nodded.

"Let's go."

They stepped over the unconscious guard and Ja-len let loose a few rounds at the inner chamber door. Stepping inside past the smoke, he stopped short.

There, almost naked, was Yuri. The prince was in a heap on the floor, a dribble of blood trickling from his mouth. Yuri rubbed the back of her knuckles and frowned.

"Yuri! You're all right!" Kei ran past Ja-len and the two girls hugged each other tightly. Yuri bent to pick up her dress. Ja-len tried to swallow, but found he could not.

"Yuri. This is Ja-len. He's on our rescue team."

Yuri squinted slightly as she walked over, seemingly not the least bit concerned about her current state of undress, she was so relieved. It was no big deal, in fact, what she wore now covered more than the outfits she and Kei wore to receive their medals for winning the beach volleyball tournament. The blood was rushing to Ja-len's head, and other places. His perfect goddess was getting closer with each step, and she was almost nude, and she smelled wonderful, and it was suddenly getting hard to breathe. Her eyes lit up as she smiled in recognition.

"I know you from somewhere, don't I?"

She was about three feet away from Ja-len when he fainted.

&&&&&&&

A/N: Thanks to Smilodonfatalis4 and Cynical Chaos (and Janessa Ravenwood) for your reviews. Next chapter will be the end!


	8. Angel's Ascent

&&&&&&&

Ja-len woke up sharply.

'Smelling salts.'

He shook his head as Yuri's beautiful face became clearer and clearer to his vision.

"You o.k?"

She smiled as she bent over him to check on his condition. He squinted, then opened his eyes again slowly as he realized that she now had her uniform on.

'Thank the gods. I don't know if I could have withstood the shock once again.'

"Ahh, I... think so."

She opened a water flask from his backpack and gave him a sip.

"Thanks."

"I should be thanking you. If you had gotten here two minutes later, well..."

Ja-len looked at her, waiting for her to finish the sentence. She blushed, standing up to give him a hand up.

"Never mind."

He marveled at her touch when her hand clasped his. She was quite a bit stronger than she looked. Not to mention...

'Easy now. Don't want any more smelling salts. Just take it slow and easy. Finish the mission. Finish the mission. Finish the mission.'

"Ready to go?"

"Yeah."

Kei had by this time cuffed Monsuud, leading the still groggy ex-ruler out into the hall. It was true Yuri weighed only one hundred and seven pounds, but she had a vicious left hook, which the prince found out about first-hand. He eventually came to his senses.

"What is the meaning of this!?"

"We're 3WA, and you're under arrest for a list of crimes too long for me to recite. You have the right to remain silent..."

Kei didn't like him at all, and wanted to give him her boot right then and there.

"Fool! Do you know to whom you are speaking?"

He turned and glared at Yuri.

"Yuri! You little bitch. I should have foreseen this. I will see all of you dead for this insult upon my person. You will feel the... unh..."

Kei gave him a kidney shot with the handgrip of her blaster.

"Shut up, you. You're in no position to make demands right now."

"This is torture! You are not allowed to harm me in any way! I shall see to it..."

Ja-len then turned and stuck the muzzle of his weapon right into the prince's mouth. Monsuud's eyes went wide with fear.

"I'll only say this once. I wouldn't mess with Kei, because you really don't know what torture is until you do, understand?"

The prince nodded meekly.

"Good. Now keep your mouth shut so we can get out of here."

They back-tracked through the debris-laden halls toward the Apache. Kei finally got through to Gustav, his gravelly voice crackling through the comm-unit.

"That's right. We have secured the opti-disc. Sirhaan is confirming its authenticity. Once the prince is secured on board the Apache, return to the palace to search for any non-combatants who may have been wounded or gone into hiding. Over."

"Copy that. Kei out."

"Gustav out."

They turned off the main hall to head down the corridor back to the observation deck of the northeast tower, where the Apache awaited. They were shocked when they turned a corner and ran into Nialunh, who had Kotori in tow. The girl still carried Mughi in her arms. When she saw Yuri, her face brightened and she called out to her.

"Kotori! Thank the gods you're all right."

Yuri was relieved. The girl started to run to her when Nialunh's hand grasped her by her shoulder. The girl turned and looked up at the woman, who had an odd, unreadable look upon her face. Yuri stepped forward.

"Nialunh. What are you doing?"

"My husband. Give him to me."

"I'm sorry, we can't do that. He is under arrest for multiple felonies and will be tried as soon as we get him back to..."

"You will not take him from me. Give me my husband!"

Nialunh produced a small caliber weapon from the sleeves of her gown and held it to Kotori's head.

"Forgive me, child. I never wanted any of this to happen."

The others gasped, and Yuri shrieked, but Monsuud chuckled in triumph.

"Excellent move, my dear. These fools know not who they deal with."

Yuri became desperate.

"Nialunh, you don't want to do this. Please."

Mughi hissed at her, but she remained undaunted, the weapon held up to the child's ear, shaking in her unsteady hand.

"You are correct, Yuri. I don't. But I have no choice in the matter. I only want my husband, and I swear to you I will release her unharmed. But I have resolved that if you do not give me what I want, I will kill her. I will accept whatever punishment for that act in this life or the next. My life has come to this. I need for all of you to place your weapons down and step away from them."

Ja-len stepped to the front, speaking.

"I'm afraid we can't help you. The 3WA doesn't bargain with hostage-takers. We won't..."

"Ja-len, please. You don't understand."

Yuri pleaded, the look on her face melting his heart.

"Yuri, we can't..."

Kei put her hand on Ja-len's shoulder. He turned to her and she nodded, placing her blaster on the ground. She had never met Kotori before, but the thought of witnessing a child's murder was too much for her to stomach. They would exchange prisoners, as it were, and then figure something out.

"It's o.k. She's a child. Subsection 20-A of Article 367 of the 3WA field manual lets us off the hook in this particular situation. Much as I hate to do this, we've got to let him go."

Ja-len nodded, then placed his Gattling and it's munitions pack on the ground. Kei un-cuffed the prince, and he walked triumphantly over to his wife, rubbing his wrists. The others stood silently, and, as soon as the prince reached her, she pushed Kotori toward them. The girl ran as fast as she could to Yuri, who hugged her and Mughi tightly. Monsuud turned to them and barked.

"And now, for your insolence against my royal person, you will all die, one by one. But you, Yuri, will witness all of your friends die before you, for what you have done..."

He paused because he felt her weapon right between his shoulder blades.

"What?! What is this madness?"

He turned to face her. Tears ran down Nialunh's cheeks as she spoke, looking directly into his eyes.

"My husband, my darling husband. Where have you gone? I searched and searched, but could not find you. This man, who is not you, has taken over your body and committed atrocities in your name. But I will not allow it to continue, my dearest. I will free you. I will free your soul from this madness..."

Monsuud realized too late the meaning of her words, and grabbed for her wrist just as she pulled the trigger. The first shot struck him in the stomach, doubling him over and sending him to his knees. The 3WA group watched in shock, Yuri grabbing Kotori and turning her back to the tragedy as she didn't want her to witness any more horror than she already had. The prince, gasping in pain, reached up with a blood-stained hand to grasp Nialunh's arm.

"But... why..?"

She shot him again.

As his body slumped to the floor, she knelt before him and cradled his head in her arms, still clutching the weapon. Kei made a move towards her, but Nialunh waved her back.

"My husband is free, now. He was not the evil, despicable man you think. Whatever crimes he committed, he did so not of his right mind. I shall follow him momentarily, for I do not wish for him to suffer his punishment alone..."

"No! Please don't."

Ja-len took a step forward.

"Stay back! I have kept my word. Now I ask you to honor my last request. Yuri. You were the catalyst that brought all of this upon us. For that I don't know whether to curse you or thank you. I ask but one promise of you.

"Yes?"

"That my children be granted asylum by the 3WA and allowed to grow up to become good citizens of the universe. They are young and do not understand the nature of the rise and fall of nations, nor the fortunes of war. Will you promise this to me?"

"Nialunh. Please. There must be another way..."

"There is no other way, Yuri. This is the path I have chosen, to stand by his side in life, and now in death. Again, I ask you, will you promise this to me?"

"Y... yes."

"I thank you, then, for the great kindness you have given me. This envelope..."

She tossed a small package toward them, which Ja-len picked up.

"...has the combinations to all of the safes in the palace. In each, you will find passwords to data and omni-bases throughout the realm. I believe that the information contained therein is what you will need to help rebuild this once great society. I am truly, deeply sorry that it has all come to this. May you all live long, prosperous lives."

Nialunh stroked Monsuud's hair with fingers stained with his own blood and kissed his forehead before speaking softly to him.

"Have no fear, my dearest. I am coming to be with you now."

She raised the weapon to her temple and squinted her eyes before pulling the trigger.

&&&&&&&

The 4th Assault fleet had arrived in full force, broadcasting to the defense forces the order to stand down. Upon seeing this development, Commander Hikaro also ordered all defense forces to surrender to the 3WA in order to prevent further needless loss of life. One by one, all military locations went to code zero, granting the 3WA access to all facilities. When the criminals were finally identified and brought to justice, there would be free elections once again, and the Savarian people would be left to determine their own destiny.

&&&&&&&

"That will be all for today. I'll see you tomorrow, same time, Kei. Bye, Keitaro."

"Thanks, Susan."

Susan, Keitaro's physical therapist, made a few notations in her hand-held notepad, then turned back to Kei.

"You're welcome. And he's coming along very nicely. I'll give the doctor my report right now."

Susan packed away her things and rose to head toward Dr. Sevahnn, who was at the far side of the pool, doing the male-bonding thing with Ja-Len and Gustav.

Keitaro, a bit sleepy after his water-therapy, snoozed happily on Kei's chest, his favorite spot in the whole world, as she floated peacefully across the Olympic-sized pool, from one end to the other, turning the floating lounge chair as she reached one end and kicked away toward the other. The 3WA training facility was enormous, serving many thousands of agents, and Basile had seen to it that Keitaro could have his therapy here, making one of the thirty pools in the facility semi-private, so she could be present. She ran her fingers through his hair with one hand and cradled him with the other as she beheld his sleeping face.

"You are my heart, Keitaro. I'll never let anything bad happen to you, not while I'm alive."

Her heart was at peace, for the first time in a long time. It was a strange feeling, one she still had some difficulty getting used to, having lived on the edge for so very long. It was liberating, life-enhancing, being with him, and she was thankful.

As her consciousness floated about on the bliss that was her life at that moment, she heard splashing and muffled voices from a short distance away. The guys were at the far end of the pool, where Gustav was showing off the diving form that had earned him a silver medal in the Amateur Olympics many moons ago. Ja-len was also a pretty good athlete, but Efren, who was never very athletic, came up time and again coughing and sputtering to guffaws of laughter. Kei chuckled to herself. Gustav laughing; could anything be stranger?

Well, yes. Although Sevahnn was pretty much the geek, he would keep trying. Kei had given him a reason to embrace physical culture as he realized he stood a much better chance with her if he had at least a modicum of fitness. Ja-len helped him out of the water just as Susan got there, and the doctor and the therapist discussed the boy's progress.

Kei smiled to herself. She had been totally clueless about him until Yuri filled her in. Strange, how that works, your best friend can see things clearly that you are oblivious to. She was so glad Yuri had warmed up to Ja-len. Kei had kept her promise, and put in the good word, and they had indeed become close. Yuri had later explained to her that while she could always attract guys, she had never attracted one who was willing to die for her, and he had proven his devotion on more than one occasion. That had made a big difference. Kei chuckled again at how the Yuri she once knew was almost gone. It absolutely stunned her that her partner now had a little "sister" she was responsible for. She really was maturing. They both were.

She thought of the doctor, and just then, he glanced over at her, waving. She waved back. Efren had eventually gotten up the courage to ask her to lunch (well, he had actually first asked Toma to find out if she would be open to the idea), and she found that she actually enjoyed herself in his company. Would anything come of it? She didn't know for sure. What she was absolutely certain of, however, was his honest concern for Keitaro's speedy and complete recovery, and that had at least allowed him a foot in the door to her heart.

She closed her eyes and hugged Keitaro even more tightly, inhaling his scent as he turned his head from one side to the other, still asleep. She didn't notice Yuri, who, upon coming out of the women's lockers with Kotori, had "shushed" the girl as the two of them crept up to edge of the pool near the redhead. Kei was startled at the sound of her voice.

"Well now, I can see what kind of man Keitaro's going to grow up to be, and it isn't gonna be a _leg _man!"

Before Kei could retort, Yuri yelled.

"Cannonball!"

Kotori followed suit.

"Cannonball!"

Kotori's wave was small compared to Yuri's, which doused both Kei and Keitaro, waking him. Keitaro, who loved water, immediately started laughing at the sensation of being splashed. Kei, however, wasn't amused.

"Yuri!"

She sputtered, wiping the water out of her face.

"You purple-headed punching bag! Just wait until I get my hands on you! And your little accomplice there... I won't forget..."

"Yuuwee."

"Wha..?"

Keitaro was mimicking Kei.

"Pwupoo head bunj baaaag."

"Oh no. You... you just forget that last part, Keitaro."

Kei blushed, and then glared at Yuri, who had come up for air, and was rocking the side of the floating lounge.

"See what you did? Teaching him bad habits at an early age."

"Me?" Yuri pouted with her most innocent face.

"I was just having some fun."

"Yeah? Well... go have fun with the guys. We want to be left alone right now, o.k?"

Yuri shook her head sadly and clucked her teeth.

"Poor mama Kei... old before her time."

Kotori copied Yuri, her infectious smile and bright eyes lighting up her face.

"Poor old mama Kei."

"Come on, Ko. Let's go make fun of those guys. When they come up after they dive, we'll yell out really low numbers."

"O.k. And we'll give them raspberries!"

"Now you're talking, sister. Bye, mama Kei."

"Bye bye, mama Kei."

"Good riddance."

Kei watched as the two swam off to get into more mischief. She thought once again about how her life had turned, and how she had come to rely more and more on the people in it, and how those people had become very dear to her. Yes, there would be more missions, more dangerous situations in the future, but those concerns, those bridges, well, she would burn them when she got to them. Preferably with an XE-2036 refracting wave cannon.

Today, however, was perfect.

Fin.

&&&&&&&

A/N: Thanks DPF fans, for reading what was my very first attempt at fanfiction, started _so _long ago. What a long, strange trip it's been...

W.


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